19. The repression inflicted on South African trade unionists was institutionalized in the Labour Relations Amendment Act of 1988, which imdermined the right to strike and permitted mass dismissals. COSATU's and NACTU's campaign against the law had not yet borne fruit. His organization also wished to draw the Commission's attention to the situation of the rural workforce, which was denied the most basic trade union rights, worked in squalid conditions and subject to violence from white farmers. Nevertheless, despite all the repercussions of the repression which he had described, the black trade union movement had succeeded in preserving its local and national structures and consolidating its effectiveness. 20. The campaign against apartheid must continue until everyone had the right to vote in a united, democratic and non-racial South Africa. In order to achieve that, it was essential to step up economic sanctions which, although only partial so far, had clearly been agents of change in the country. The major South African financial institutions had indicated that sanctions had affected the economy and that the white minority, which had experienced a drop of some 15 per cent in its living standard, was more seriously affected by E/CN.4/1990/SR.16 page 5 sanctions than the black majority. Unforttmately, however, South Africa's export earnings were beginning to increase again. It was essential not to relax the sanctions. 21. His organization had set up a working group to promote a co-ordinated approach to an embargo against South African coal. It was mobilizing its members and the public against those banks providing financial support to apartheid. To the previously published lists of foreign multinationals operating in South Africa, it had added another list of South African multinationals which were attempting to evade sanctions by operating abroad. It also published information on those companies which made use of the 
**Analysis**
The text primarily discusses the economic and labor-related issues in South Africa, specifically the impact of apartheid on trade unions and the economy. It also touches on the international community's efforts to impose sanctions and boycotts on South Africa to pressure the government to dismantle apartheid.

**Category**
Employment, International trade