Cosatu's Founding Unions
| Affiliate | Members |
| Amalgamated Black Workers Union (Abwu) | 1,000 |
| Building, Construction and Allied Workers Union (Bcawu) | 748 |
| Commercial, Catering and Allied Workers Union of SA (Ccawusa) | 50,345 |
| Commercial and Distributive Workers Union (CDWU) | 1,600 |
| Cleaning Services and Allied Workers Union (CSAWU) | 850 |
| Cape Town Municipal Workers Association (CTMWA) | 11,097 |
| Chemical Workers Industrial Union (CWIU) | 20,700 |
| Food and Canning Workers Union (FCWU) | 26,455 |
| General and Allied Workers Union (Gawu) | 19,076 |
| General Workers Union (GWU) | 20,000 |
| Garment Workers Union of SA (Gwusa) | 2,905 |
| Health and Allied Workers Union (Hawu) | 1,111 |
| Metal and Allied Workers Union (Mawu) | 38,789 |
| Motor Assemblers and Component Workers Union of SA (Macwusa) | 3,100 |
| Municipal Workers Union of SA (Mwusa) | 9,249 |
| National Automobile and Allied Workers Union (Naawu) | 20,338 |
| National General Workers Union of SA (Ngwusa) and
the Retail and Allied Workers Union - Pretoria (Rawu) | 6,037 |
| National Iron, Steel and Metal Workers Union (Nismawu) | 976 |
| National Post Office and Allied Workers Union (Napawu) | 2,163 |
| National Union of Textile Workers (NUTW) | 23,241 |
| National Union of Mineworkers (Num) | 100,000 |
| Paper, Wood and Allied Workers Union (Pwawu) | 11,856 |
| Retail and Allied Workers Union - Cape Town (Rawu - CT) | 3,830 |
| SA Allied Workers Union (Saawu) | 25,032 |
| SA Domestic Workers Association (Sadwa) | 4,500 |
| SA Mineworkers Union (Samwu) | 3,029 |
| SA Railways and Harbour Workers Union (Sarhwu) | 8,220 |
| SA Scooter, Transport and Allied Workers Union (Sastawu) | 4,700 |
| SA Textile and Allied Workers Union (Satawu) | 1,900 |
| Sweet, Food and Allied Workers Union (SFAWU) | 19,596 |
| SA Textile Workers Union (Satwu) | 581 |
| Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) | 11,000 |
| United Mining, Metal and Allied Workers of SA (Ummawosa) | 8,335 |