The union was founded in 1977, on the initiative of the Western Province Workers' Advice Bureau.
The union focused on co-ordinating independent committees of workers, and was strongly opposed to registration with the Government of South Africa.
[1][2] While remaining open to all workers, the union decided to strengthen its position by recruiting in specific industries.
It did not affiliate to the Federation of South African Trade Unions, generally being considered to be more political and slightly more left-wing than its members.
Despite its political activism, it refused to affiliate with any specific party or movement.