The Ethiopian Labour Movement, 1960-2020

“Admasie brings to life the first authoritative history of the Ethiopian labour movement over 60 tumultuous years of change and transformation. This original and unique book chronicles the remarkable endurance of labour militancy in Ethiopia during its most convulsive era. An indispensable work.” —Immanuel Ness, Professor of Political Science, City University of New York “This is an invaluable contribution. It is comprehensive to a fault. The author’s refusal to allow the tale of the labour movement to be subsumed to other narratives, and the emphasis on the radical flame of the labour movement that keeps flickering like a candle in a storm, regardless of what others are doing, will help keep this flame alive. The fact that this radicalism has produced real gains for workers – which the author proves – reinforces that point. ” —John Markakis, Professor of African Studies, University of Crete This book offers a comprehensive history of the Ethiopian labour movement, exploring the impact of trade unions on workers’ agency from the 1960s until today. The author analyses the sharp variation in the orientation and vicissitudes of Ethiopian trade unions over time, and how these affected labour conditions and workers’ income. Drawing from new data gathered through extensive archival research and interviews in Ethiopia, this book is the first of its kind. It includes new datasets on strikes, unrest, and wage levels, shedding light on how capitalist labour and industrial relations have developed in Ethiopia, a country where formal wage labour has not been the dominant form of labour. Addressing a huge gap in the literature on African labour movements, this book makes a significant contribution to debates on wage determination, and challenges existing assumptions through detailed investigation. Samuel Andreas Admasie is based at the International Institute of Social History in the Netherlands. Previously, he studied Political Science at Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia and African Studies at Leiden University in the Netherlands. He has also worked as a research advisor at the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and is on the editorial board of the journal, Labor History.