African trade unions: Progress or poverty?

Six books: Anthony Clatyon and Donald S. Savage. ‘Government and labour in Kenya, 1895-1963’; Richard Sandbrook, ‘Proletarians and African capitalism: the Kenyan case, 1960-1972’; Robin Cohen, ‘Labour and politics in Nigeria’; Wogu Ananaba, ‘The trade union movement in Nigeria’; R.P. Grillo, ‘African railwaymen: solidarity and opposition in an East African Labour force’; Robert Bates, ‘Union, parties, and political development: a study of the mine-workers in Zambia, as well as the ILO team study ‘Employment, incomes, and equality in Kenya’, are evaluated in this review article in the context of their contributions to several critical areas: 1. the nature of African political economies and power structures; 2. the development of class consciousness among the African wage earners and trade unionists; 3. the character of industrial relations and the role of African unions in it: 4. trade union organization, activities, and leader-rank and file relationships; 5. trade union-state relationships. Ref.