The South African Typographical Union was established on 5 January 1898 to represent workers who had before then been represented by:
- the Cape Town Typographical Association (established 1881)
- the Eastern Province Typographical Society (established 1883)
- the Natal Typographical Society (established 1888)
- the Transvaal Typographical Society (established 1894)
- the Griqualand West Typographical society (established 1895)
Despite the fact that the Industrial Conciliation Act of 1924 sought to divide workers along racial lines, SATU persisted in working to protect and advance the interests of all workers in the Printing Industry.
Prior to the establishment of the South African Typographical Union the working conditions of the Printing Industry were negotiated on a regional basis. This was done through associations established for that purpose. On 10 th November 1919, a National Conference took place in Johannesburg between the Federated Master Printers of South Africa (the predecessor to the Printing Industries Federation of South Africa), the Newspaper Press Union and the South African Typographical Union. This conference resulted in the establishment of the National Industrial Council for the Printing and Newspaper Industry.
This Council had jurisdiction over all employers and employees in the ‘Printing and Newspaper Industry’ and, by the publication in the Government Gazette of agreements concluded in the Council, the terms of those agreements became binding on even those employers and employees who were not formally represented by parties to the Council. Accordingly all Printing and Newspaper employers were obliged to pay wages prescribed by the Council and their employees were obliged to become members of its pension fund, medical aid scheme and ‘Employee Benefit Fund.’
By resolution of the Council, the National Industrial Council Printing Industry Pension Fund, a defined benefit fund, was established in July 1959. Standard rate contributions to the fund were determined by collective agreement from time to time and were set by reference to members’ work grades and job categories.
On 19 October 1989 the Council decided that it would dissolve and this took place on 31 December 1989. It was required by that all funds of the Council, including those of the pension fund, the medical aid scheme and the Employee Benefit Fund be either distributed amongst the members of the Council or transferred to other funds. To protect the workers’ retirement savings, the Printing Industry Pension Fund for SATU Members, a defined contribution fund, was established and it was registered in terms of the Pension Funds Act on 1 January 1990. The assets of the National Industrial Council Printing Industry Pension Fund were then transferred to the new fund in compliance with section 14 of the Pension Funds Act.
In 1994 the SATU National Provident Fund was established and registered in terms of the Pension Funds Act. Members of the Printing Industry Pension Fund for SATU Members were given the option to join the provident fund and have their fund credits transferred to it or to remain members of the pension fund.
The Printing Industry Pension Fund for SATU members and the SATU National Provident Fund now have more than 10 000 members and nearly 7 000 pensioners. The Funds play an active and important role in the economy with assets of nearly R 7 billion invested for the benefits of our members and pensioners.