Rhodesian Railway Workers' Union
| Full name | Rhodesian Railway Workers' Union |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1917 |
| Date dissolved | 1980 |
| Merged into | National Union of Railwaymen |
| Key people | Roy Welensky |
| Country | Rhodesia |
The Rhodesian Railway Workers' Union (R.R.W.U.) was a trade union in Rhodesia which represented European railway workers employed by the Rhodesian Railways.
Trade union organisation on the Rhodesian railways had its origins in World War I, when the shortage of labour due to war service increased the bargaining power of the workers. In 1916 firemen at Bulawayo went on strike and their demands were met. In October of the following year the Rhodesian Railway Workers' Union was formed, representing engineers and firemen. The union spread throughout the Rhodesian Railways network, including Northern Rhodesia.
A prominent early leader of the union was Jack Keller, a Scottish-born railway worker who emigrated to Rhodesia after participating in the failed 1911 railway strike in Britain. The RRWU's first strike, in February 1919, was successful. It was followed in March 1920 by a larger strike, supported by the unions representing European postal workers and miners, which was even more successful. It resulted in a 25 per cent increase in railway workers' pay and secured an eight-hour day.
The RRWU soon became involved in Rhodesian politics and opposed moves to integrate the Rhodesian colonies with the Union of South Africa, instead favouring Responsible Government for the European population. This stance was partly motivated by the anti-labour policies of the South African government, including the repression of the Rand Rebellion.
In 1923 the union was centrally involved in the establishment of the Rhodesian Labour Party, with a significant majority of Labour MPs being railwaymen, with Keller himself being elected into parliament. The RRWU was also the largest donor to the party. Throughout its history the Rhodesian Labour Party vote would be strongest in those areas with significant populations of railway workers, including Bulawayo and Broken Hill.
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