Trade unions in Angola

Infobox Union by Country
country = Angola
national = CGSILA, UNTA
government =
legislation = Article 33, Constitution [cite web
title=Article 33
work=The Constitution of Angola
url=http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/CAFRAD/UNPAN002502.pdf
accessdate=2007-05-18]
membership_number =
union_percentage1_title =
union_percentage1 =
union_percentage2_title =
union_percentage2 =
ILOmember = Yes
ILO-87date = 13 June 2001
ILO-98date = 4 June 1976Before 1975, while under Portugeese rule, Trade unions in Angola existed primarily as "occupational syndicates" - operating welfare services, but banned from collective bargaining and strike action.cite book
year = 2005
title = Trade Unions of the World
editor = ICTUR et al,
edition = 6th
publisher = John Harper Publishing
location = London, UK
id = ISBN 0-9543811-5-7] Independent African trade unions were illegal, however, some underground or exiled unions existed, and were involved in the struggle for Angolan independence.

When the Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola (MPLA) came to power in 1975 the National Union of Angolan Workers (UNTA) became the sole national trade union centre. There is now an independent trade union centre as well, the General Centre of Independent and Free Unions of Angola.

Trade union membership in Angola is limited both by the small formal economy, and the high unemployment rate within the sector. The Government of Angola is the largest employer within the country, and wages within the government are set yearly, with consultation from unions, but without direct negotiations.

References