The United Workers Congress of Liberia (abbreviated UWC) was a trade union centre in Liberia.
UWC was founded in 1974, after a split in the Congress of Industrial Organizations of Liberia.[1] The most important CIO union, the National Mine Workers Union, joined the UWC.[2] Amongst the mine workers UWC organized all mines except the Mano River Mine.[3] Other sectors organized by UWC were timber workers, truck drivers and car mechanics.[3]
Frank Walker served as the general secretary of UWC, Emett Harmon was its president and Esmael A. Sherif its executive vice-president.[4] [5] [6] Harmon also served as Ambassador at Large.[6] UWC was affiliated to the Organisation of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU).[7] UWC participated in the second OATUU congress held in Tripoli, Libya in April 1976.[8]
By 1976 UWC claimed a membership of 7,000, the National Mine Workers Union organizing 4,700 members, the Domestic and Allied Workers Union (DAWU) 1,700 members and the Wood and Timber Workers' Union 400 members.[3]
In 1977 President William R. Tolbert Jr. urged the different trade union centres to unite into a single body.[7] The Liberian Federation of Trade Unions (LFTU) was founded, but UWC stayed out of LFTU.[7] In 1977, following labor agitations and accusations of corruption, the NMWU Local 3 (mine workers at LAMCO) broke away from UWC and formed an independent union.[3] [9]
In 1980 UWC and LFTU merged, forming the Liberian Federation of Labor Unions (LFLU).[10]