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Philemon Mutedzi Correspondent
Today, the world commemorates Workers’ Day. It is a day set aside to celebrate labour and agitate for better working conditions.
This article will not belabour you dear reader with the long history of how the day came to be celebrated, suffice to say it originated in the United States on May 1, 1896, when more than 300 000 workers in 13 000 businesses across the United States walked off their jobs in the first May Day celebration in history.
The main reason for the demonstration was to protest against long working hours and agitating for an 8-hour shift per day, as well as better wages.
The strike in the intervening months culminated in bloody skirmishes between the workers and the US police, which resulted in the Haymarket Massacre, where a few fatalities were recorded.
It is instructive that the day itself (May 1) is not officially celebrated in capitalist America, a day the US government tried in vain to stifle in the early 20th century when it set May 1 as Law and Order Day.
Instead, the US commemorates Labour Day on the first Monday of September yearly. Zimbabwe officially celebrates Workers’ Day on May 1 of each year, with various trade unions, including the Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions (ZFTU) and the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), spearheading celebrations.
Metamorphosis of the ZCTU into the MDC
In 1999, the ZCTU, following years of increased unionism and protest against Government, particularly from 1990 when Government adopted the Economic Structural Adjustment Programme (ESAP), effectively morphed into the MDC, ostensibly a labour party.
Then ZCTU Secretary-General Morgan Tsvangirai and President Gibson Sibanda (May their souls rest in peace), became the president and vice president of the newly born labour party, respectively.
It must, however, not be lost that in as much as it fronted itself as a labour party, it also incorporated student leaders, white commercial farmers, academics and intellectuals, as well as youths in order to have a broad-based critical core — a core which is the source of the ideological discord it is currently grappling with.
They fronted themselves as the beacon of workers’ rights. The protector of workers’ rights. The fighter for better wages.
The lobbyists for better working conditions.
Ideologically, the MDC at inception believed in social democracy and democratic socialism. It drew much of its political ideas from Western democracy which advocates for freedom of association, majority rule, freedom of press, freedom of movement, among other civil liberties, at the expense of economic rights.
The Encyclopaedia Britannica defines social democracy as a political ideology that originally advocated a peaceful evolutionary transition of society from capitalism to socialism using established political processes.
In the second half of the 20th century, there emerged a more moderate version of the doctrine, which generally espoused state regulation, rather than state ownership of the means of production and extensive social welfare programmes.
Merriam-Weber defines it as “a political movement advocating a gradual and peaceful transition from capitalism to socialism by democratic means,” or alternatively, “a democratic welfare state that incorporates both capitalist and socialist practices.”
Therein lies the problem with the MDC. It sought to represent the worker, yet at the same time wanted to appease the capitalist system, which traditionally shackles the worker.
Failure to uphold workers’ rights
Since the ZCTU literally morphed into the MDC, resulting in its waning influence as a workers’ union, it became more of an affiliate of the MDC.
This explains why in this modern day, the ZCTU was appointed to oversee preparations and preside over the MDC Congress set to be held this May.
It is no longer a workers’ union and spends most of its time agitating for violent street protests on behalf of the MDC.
In the aftermath of the MDC-Alliance-instigated violent demonstrations on August 1 2018, the Mothlanthe Commission in its findings, slated the MDC for organising and inciting the violent demonstrations against the outcome of the July 31, 2018 harmonised elections.
Aware of the need to avoid taking the lead in the January 2019 violent demonstrations, the MDC roped in the ZCTU to front its deadly demonstrations that were characterised by looting, arson, murder and violence.
ZCTU president Peter Mutasa called for the violent demonstrations (under the guise of a stayaway) ostensibly meant to protest against the fuel hike, but actually intended to subvert a constitutionally-elected Government.
The MDC itself used its infrastructure to barricade roads, attack the police, attack citizens and loot shops. The ZCTU is now known more for organising and participating in political demonstrations as opposed to promoting and protecting worker interests and rights.
Labour party’s anti-labour activities
As for the MDC itself, it is a sorry case of a labour party that tramples on workers’ rights — its own employees.
Of late, the media is awash with reports that, that party has gone for 11 months without paying its underpaid 160 workers countrywide — and this is a labour party?
Prior to this, the MDC summarily dismissed its then director-general Toendepi Shonhe and 16 other employees without following due labour processes, on the trumped up charge that they were linked to Tendai Biti’s Renewal Team.
The workers took the MDC to the Labour Court — an anathema for a labour party to be dragged to a Labour Court of abusing workers’ rights — and they won. The Labour Court instructed the party to pay a total of $665 000.
The MDC tried in vain to appeal at the High Court. Shonhe secured a writ of execution to get his dues, and the Sheriff of the High Court was instructed to attach MDC property over labour damages amounting to $264 000.
The MDC, instead of being a party that pushes for workers’ rights, has neglected and abdicated its founding ethos.
Contrary to its founding objectives, it has actually been calling for sanctions against the country, which sanctions have the net effect of affecting the worker.
Most industries have either closed, downsized, or been placed under judicial management as a result of a rough operating environment wrought by the debilitating evil sanctions.
Jobs have been lost. Pensions remain unpaid. Livelihoods lost. Futures of unborn workers obliterated before they have begun.
Sanctions are by nature anti-investment. They deter foreign direct investment, itself the cornerstone of the New Dispensation’s “Zimbabwe is Open for Business,” mantra.
Government’s “Zimbabwe is Open for Business” initiative is aimed at resuscitating Zimbabwe’s industry, recapitalising struggling companies, all with the aim of creating jobs, jobs, jobs.
It is thus curious that a party that flaunts itself as a labour party is at the forefront of preventing the ruling party from creating a critical mass of workers for it through its ill-advised calls for sanctions and the “kudira jecha” (spoil the broth) mentality. The MDC, and indeed the ZCTU, have become evil twins that are anti-workers.
Much more cynical is the fact that the current leader of the MDC-Alliance, Nelson Chamisa, was an advocate in the infamous Zuva Case that led to thousands of job losses. Such un-labourliness! That should hold symbolic value as to what the MDC really stands for and how the labour centre has been divorced from its mandate.
This May Day should be a time of reflection for all fair-minded workers that, it is in their best interests to work in support of Zimbabwe’s economic reform agenda since it will result in more and better jobs for them.
It is a misnomer for a worker to keep on supporting a party that has lost its labour agenda and is fighting tooth and nail to ensure that the economy screams at their expense. Food for thought. Happy Workers’ Day folks!
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