adminNgoni Dapira Business Correspondent
PUBLIC Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Senator Prisca Mupfumira is expected to officiate at the Labour Law Reform Stakeholders’ Consultative meeting to be held at Golden Peacock Hotel in Mutare next Tuesday.
The meeting, which was organised by Eve Employment and Training Consultancy in partnership with the Employers’ Confederation of Zimbabwe, is part of a countrywide programme by Sen Mupfumira to meet stakeholders in different provinces.
Running under the theme: “Strengthening dialogue for accelerated achievement of national socio-economic development,” the meeting is set to give an update on developments in the national labour law review process as Government is reviewing its labour laws in line with international conventions and the new Constitution.
EMCOZ director, Mr John Mufukari, said the meeting would update captains of industry on the labour law reform process and give them the opportunity to network with the new Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister.
“The meeting is meant to introduce the new Labour Minister, Senator Mupfumira to the business community.
“Then secondly, it is not a secret that companies are closing and there are a lot of concerns regarding labour law reform process, so this will be the ideal opportunity for all stakeholders in Manicaland to meet and discuss with the Labour Minister and hear latest updates,” said Mr Mufukari.
Mr Mufukari said the workshop was also expected to come up with a provincial consensus on the way forward to increase productivity amid the myriad of economic challenges fueled by the liquidity constraints in the country.
Eve Employment and Training Consultancy consultant, Mr Josephat Rushinga, said reform of the country’s labour laws was necessary if the country was to ensure the development of sustainable enterprises and the fulfillment of socio-economic goals.
He added that most companies were operating in a Cash-22 situation as they are grappling with the dilemma of massive retrenchment costs or labour lawsuits against stiff competition from cheap imports and a continuing liquidity crisis.
“Everyone in business talks about labour laws reforms, but very few really know what this entails. There is a lot of uncertainty on the ground concerning labour laws reform which should be explained to businesspeople.
“This workshop will be particularly of interest and assistance to human resources practitioners, finance personnel, trade unions, line managers and entrepreneurs affected by labour issues on a day to day basis,” said Mr Rushinga.
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