Hear the story of international solidarity by B.C. union members who worked tirelessly in support of the fight to end South Africa’s racist apartheid system.
The fight against apartheid in South Africa was fought on many fronts with the solidarity of anti-apartheid groups around the world. BC unions and activists were a proud part of this global movement. In this episode of On the Line we commemorate the 35th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s release from prison in 1990 with a look back at the BC anti-apartheid solidarity movement.
Publication date: March 9, 2024
Podcast length: 35:25
Hosted by: Rod Mickleburgh
Research and writing by: Patricia Wejr and Rod Mickleburgh
Production by: John Mabbott
The anti-apartheid movement in Canada gained momentum in 1976 when University of Alberta students Ken Luckhardt and Brenda Wall organized a protest against a white South African cricket team, leading to their arrest and subsequent acquittal. Two years later, Luckhardt and Wall volunteered with the South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU), the union arm of the African National Congress, and began building a solidarity network that included Canadian unions.
Jef Keighley, an activist, recounted early anti-apartheid tactics, including “shop-ins” where protesters would fill shopping carts with South African products and then abandon them at the cash register, causing significant disruption for stores. Later, they targeted South African wines, placing “Ban South African Wines” stickers on bottles in government liquor stores, which rendered the bottles unsaleable. This direct action, combined with lobbying the BC NDP government, led to the banning of these wines. Unions proved essential to the movement, not only providing financial support but also using their resources for photocopying and disseminating information. The International Longshoremen Workers Union (ILWU) on the West Coast, known for its progressive stance, actively participated by refusing to cross picket lines for ships carrying South African goods, even if it meant temporary loss of pension contributions.
The local fight intensified with the establishment of a Vancouver solidarity branch of SACTU, focusing on organizing and education. Unions committed to ongoing financial support for the SACTU Committee, transitioning from one-time donations to monthly contributions. Benefit events, like one in May 1987 featuring the Total Gospel Choir from Seattle, raised over $12,000 for the cause.
Colleen Jordan, former Secretary-Treasurer of CUPE BC, highlighted how unions integrated anti-apartheid support into their activities, such as bringing delegates from South Africa to labor schools to foster direct solidarity. Cathy Walker, an activist with CAIMAW and later the Canadian Auto Workers, recalled negotiating directly with Shellburn Oil Refinery to cease importing South African products, using bargaining tables as a platform for the anti-apartheid message.