‘Labour Act brings relief to workers’

Abel Zhakata Senior Reporter
RECENT amendments to the Labour Act will bring relief to workers as well as provide the necessary framework for the ease of doing business in Zimbabwe, Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said. Addressing labour court judges and officials from the International Labour Organisation at a workshop in Nyanga on Wednesday, Cde Mnangagwa – who was represented by the Attorney General, Mr Prince Machaya – urged Labour Court judges to acquire international best practices that will enable them to expeditiously resolve disputes in a just and accepted manner. “Labour issues are currently taking centre stage in our national development discourse. Indeed, the nation is hopeful that the recent amendments to the Labour Act will bring relief to our workers.

“It is against this background that I find the convening of this workshop quite timely. I say so because the opportunity for our Labour Court judges to interact with each other and exchange experiences and best practices with labour experts will go a long way in creating harmonious labour market and expeditious resolution of disputes in a just and internationally accepted manner.”

Cde Mnangangwa said labour issues were also captured in last week’s State of the Nation address by President Mugabe.
“The workshop comes against the backdrop of the State of the Nation Address by President Mugabe wherein he announced the 10 Point Plan which aims to maintain economic growth and the creation of jobs. Item Number 8 on the 10 Point Plan deals with the pertinent issue of ‘Modernising Labour Laws’,” he said.

The ILO, he said, was promoting social justice in the workplace which is necessary for economic development. “I wish to acknowledge the commitment of the ILO office and their continued support to our activities. I also wish to assure the ILO that the Government of Zimbabwe remains steadfastly committed to their ideals of the organisation, in general, and to promoting international labour standards, in particular.

“The ILOs mandate of promoting social justice in the world of work as expressed in its founding Constitution and the declaration of Philadelphia, remain relevant to Zimbabwe today as it did in 1980 when the country took sovereign decision to be a member of the organisation.

“Zimbabwe has to date ratified 26 ILO conventions of which 25 are in force. Among the 25 ratified conventions that are still in force are the eight core conventions that relate to human rights in the world of work. This demonstrates the eagerness of our country to promote fair labour standards and social justice in the world of work which is the basis upon which the ILO was founded,” he said.

Cde Mnangagwa said the country has domesticated the provisions of the relevant conventions.
“In 2013, Zimbabwe adopted a new Constitution which is arguably among the most progressive constitutions in the world in terms of guaranteeing labour rights.
“To that end, our Constitution now explicitly gives all rights covered by the ILO core conventions.

“Having adopted the new Constitution all arms of Government, including the highest office in the land, have worked tirelessly to align our labour laws with the provisions of the Constitution. “Recently, Parliament had to be summoned from its recess in order to consider the Labour Amendment Bill, which has since become law.” Cde Mnangagwa said worker satisfaction was key to economic productivity. “A distinguishing feature of most successful economies in the world today is their ability to relate increased productivity with worker satisfaction. In other words, the more the worker is satisfied with conditions of work, the greater he/she puts maximum effort into the success of the enterprise.”

Speaking at the same function the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Cde Prisca Mupfumira, said labour law reforms were an on-going process. “Labour law reform is an ongoing process given the dynamics of the labour market that call for vigilance of policy markers.

“We respect the principle of separation of powers and are of the considered view that your input as practitioners and specialists in labour law will provide valuable input to enrich our process,” she said. ILO Country office director, Ms Hopolang Phororo, said the organisation was helping Zimbabwe to implement programmes that address among other things, youth employment, skills and employability, women economic empowerment, labour migration, gender equality, HIV and Aids at the workplace and social dialogue as well as fighting child labour.

“Some of our key on-going initiatives include support to job creation for young people, strengthening of social dialogue through the Tripartite Negotiating Forum,” she said.