The council was established in 1924, as the South African Association of Employees' Organisations.
It was founded at a special congress, held after the collapse of the South African Industrial Federation, which was called by the Minister of Labour, Frederic Creswell.
All the affiliated unions were registered under the Industrial Conciliation Act 1924 and represented white workers.
The federation was expected to be very moderate, but unexpectedly elected the leading communist Bill Andrews as its general secretary.
This article related to a South African trade union is a stub.