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Golden Sibanda Senior Business Reporter
EMPLOYERS say companies remain under heavy pressure from the lack of competitiveness and are presently incapacitated to absorb any additional costs. EMCOZ executive director Mr John Mufukare said that firms cannot afford extra costs, as they are struggling to pay workers due to the prevailing harsh economic conditions, which have made it difficult to raise production and recapitalise operations.
Mr Mufukare made the remarks in an interview with The Herald Business stressing that while employers supported the concept of breastfeeding at the workplace, setting up the facilities in the current environment was not feasible.
Health and Child Welfare Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa is on record urging firms to put in place proper facilities for breastfeeding at the workplace. Lafarge Cement already has excellent breastfeeding rooms/booths.
Dr Parirenyatwa said that there is need to galvanize the multi-dimensional support and legislation to improve the balance between breastfeeding and work.
“We need to look at our legislation.
“The International Labour Organisation regulations should be ratified and implemented properly so that it captures the role that women play in taking care of children,” he said.
Breastfeeding booths
But Mr Mufukare said that as EMCOZ, they had encouraged companies with financial resources to fund establishment of breastfeeding booths at workplaces to do so, but warned it must not be compulsory under the difficult times.
Many companies have laid off up over 20 000 workers, after the July 17 Supreme Court ruling that they could terminate contracts upon giving three months notice, demonstrating that most firms are under severe pressure.
“EMCOZ encourages those companies with capacity to set up feeding sites.
“However, where a company does not have capacity to pay its workers, it would be unreasonable to expect it to put breastfeeding booths,” he said.
Mr Mufukare said that the whole economy is uncompetitive and it was more prudent to facilitate industry to become more competitive by reducing cost of production through less corporate social responsibility costs.
“There already are companies with excellent breastfeeding facilities, (Lafarge being typical example).
“We encourage our members to do it if they can afford, but it would not be wise to add any social costs to production because we are already uncompetitive at this moment,” said Mr Mufukare.
Official estimates, say there are about 830 million female workers globally, mostly in developing countries.
The majority return to work soon after delivering babies.
This therefore calls for supportive policies and legislation such as paid maternity leave and breast feeding breaks to enable them to continue breastfeeding.
Online Reporter