Violence and the Law in the 1989 Railway Strike

The 1989/90 SATS strike is regarded as one of the most bitter and bloody disputes in South African labour history. It was also one of the most complex disputes, deserving of a thorough analysis. This paper is a chronological description of the dispute, making preliminary observations. It is written from the perspective of the legal advisor to the trade union and, therefore, both a lawyer and a participant.