Government sets up taskforce to investigate miners’ exploitation

In an interview on the sidelines of the 38th African Regional Labour Administration Centre (ARLAC) meeting in Victoria Falls on Wednesday, Minister Mpariwa said her ministry had received reports of exploitation at mines with workers being forced to work under unfavourable conditions without protective clothing.
She said others were grossly underpaid.
“On the issue of exploitation of employees in the mining industry, we have received such reports. As a result, the National Social Security Authority, Ministry of Labour and union representatives will team up under a taskforce that has been set up to investigate the sector.
“The taskforce will investigate such issues to do with protective clothing, after which the findings will be made public,” said Minister Mpariwa.
Meanwhile, Minister Mpariwa said that the proposed harmonisation of the Labour Act that will synchronise public and private labour law regimes under one umbrella was nearing completion.
Minister Mpariwa said the public sector employees had already tabled their expectations, adding that her ministry was just waiting for contributions from associations such as the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association and the Zimbabwe Medical Association.
She noted that under the harmonised Labour Act, both the private and public employees would have a platform for collective bargaining for salaries, working conditions and collective job action.
“The public sector employees have tabled their expectations and we are waiting for the staff associations who have asked for more time. We hope that at the next tripartite negotiating forum meeting, they will put together their issues,” she said.
Minister Mpariwa said the labour laws were fragmented and her ministry wanted to bring everyone under one umbrella.
She said the harmonisation would bring together business, labour and the Government.
“Business, labour and government have agreed on areas of harmonisation,” said Minister Mpariwa.