The first national conference of Swaziland's unified trade union federation Tucoswa this weekend (10-11 February 2012) will potentially see the union movement adopt a more explicitly political stance, as the outlawed political opposition struggles to maintain pressure on King Mswati III.

Last year's merger of Swaziland's rival trade union federations into the 50 000-member Tucoswa, coming as political resistance to Swaziland's absolute monarchy escalated, alarmed the Mswati administration. It has consistently attempted to restrict trade union activity, particularly in the public sector, to prevent unions moving beyond their traditional focus on shop-floor, bread-and-butter issues to take on a more explicitly political role - as has Cosatu in neighbouring South Africa.

Swazi unions have long been the backbone of pro-democracy opposition to the Mswati government, although they mobilise mainly in response to Mbabane attempts to cut wages and cull the size of the civil service - as happened last year when the Mswati government was running out of cash.

Preparations for the weekend conference have been subject to low-intensity police and administrative harassment. It is nevertheless expected to consider landmark resolutions, several of which will deal directly with demands for democracy and economic reform. A key test for Tucoswa's contribution to the pro-democracy movement will come in planned anti-government protests in April and May this year.