Die swart loongeskil van 1926 in Bloemfontein

Abstract

Early in 1926, the agitation for higher minimum wages for unskilled workers once again flared up in the black community of Bloemfontein. This battle for higher wages, however, was bowed down by warring black factions that had an obvious negative effect on it. On the one hand, there were the supporters of the moderate local Native Advisory Board and on the other that of the radical national Industrial and Commercial Workers’ Union (ICU). The city council and other employers were caught between these two poles. Through difficult and patient negotiations between the white and black role players, an acceptable interim minimum wage was determined, but not before the ICU withdrew from the negotiations and attempted to bring the settlement into disrepute. From the ranks of the considerably more moderate black circles, the adjustment achieved through negotiations instead of violent agitation was considered a big enough victory for the time being.