adminintroduced in the labour market in 2002 in a bid to lessen the burden on the Labour Court, which was being overwhelmed with cases.
Emcoz president Mr Antony Mandiwanza said employers often appealed against arbitration awards, which they felt were insensitive to their plight.
“Emcoz advocates for mutually negotiated dispute settlement between the parties without the involvement of arbitrators, and is ready, willing and able to assist the labour market to achieve this,” he said.
Mr Mandiwanza said employers and employees should strive to resolve their disputes without resorting to the courts.
“Parties just must solve their own problems. Arbitrators seem to focus on social justice even at the expense of enterprise viability.
“Workers awarded unsustainable wage increases have been horrified when they found their companies facing liquidation,” he said.
Commenting on the call, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions secretary-general Mr Japhet Moyo dis-agreed saying arbitrators were doing a good job.
“It is the employers who lack knowledge on labour laws in this country. They are only aware of commercial law. Whenever they go for arbitration they say they cannot pay, without producing proof.”
Mr Moyo said the Labour Act was clear that when the employer argued that they could not pay, they should provide evidence.
“Most of our employers here cannot even show their financials or their cash flows, raising suspicion that they have the resources but they just do not want to pay. Because of this the arbitrator makes a decision using information brought by employees,” he said.
He said most employers lost cases because they went for arbitration without preparing. — New Ziana.
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