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In 1986 a British-owned company BTR (British Tyre and Rubber) dismissed its entire workforce. The workers had gone on strike in response to the company’s refusal to recognise their union NUMSA (National Union of Metalworkers). The strike was the longest-running dispute in South African history and the workers won support from trade unionists all over the world, including Britain. In the picture supporters are picketing the company’s London headquarters after taking part in a sit-down protest inside the building.

Members newsletter circulated by Chester AA Group in January 1987, announcing the launch of fortnightly pickets of the local Tesco branch, to ask shoppers to boycott South African goods, and a series of public meetings. The group held a concert ‘Rock against Apartheid’ on 9 December 1986 – ‘probably the best gig in Chester for some time’. Chester AA Group was formed in 1986.

Action calendar listing activities planned by Islington Anti-Apartheid Group for the first quarter of 1987. They included a ‘mega-picket’ of a Sainsbury’s local branch as part of the AAM’s March Month of Action for People's Sanctions, and a public meeting to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the foundation of the ANC.

Supporters of North Shropshire AA Group marched through Shrewsbury in January 1987 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the African National Congress.

Leaflet publicising a public meeting organized by Haringey AA Group on Education in South Africa. The speakers were Roger Diski, editor of ‘The Child is Not Dead: Youth Resistance in South Africa’ and educationist Elaine Unterhalter. The meeting highlighted the ongoing brutality of the South African police after the 1976 Soweto uprising.

Leaflet publicising the London AA Committee’s 1987 annual conference. The committee was set up in the 1970s to co-ordinate the work of local London AA groups and student, trade union, faith and community groups. The committee was made up of elected delegates from local AA groups and affiliated organisations and held monthly meetings. In 1987 it organised London-wide events to promote the consumer boycott of South African goods and the Boycott Shell campaign.

This conference in Glasgow was organised as part of the AAM’s month of people’s sanctions in March 1987. Workshops discussed campaigning on Namibia and the frontline states as well as South Africa. The conference brought together participants from churches, trade unions, professional groups and ethnic minority organisations. From its formation in 1976 the Scottish AA Committee held events in Scotland that tied in with national events organised by the AAM in London.