Online Reporter
Judith Phiri [email protected]
THE Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare has called on National Employment Councils (NECs) to decentralise and establish offices in different provinces to align with the President’s vision of leaving no one and no place behind.
Zimbabwe has 48 NECs that are statutory, bipartite bodies that regulate minimum wages, working conditions, and dispute resolution within specific industries.
Speaking at the recent 11th Annual Symposium for Chairpersons, Councillors and General Secretaries in Bulawayo, the Ministry’s Director Labour Administration and Employment Services, Mr Clemence Vusani said decentralisation of the NECs was critical.
“The President’s vision is for all of us to leave no one and no place behind, while most of the NECs are based in the capital city.
“There is need to decentralise to ensure you are accessible to your clients who are employers (business owners and management) and employees (workers and trade union members) within your specific industry,” he said.
He said NECs establishing provincial and district offices, brings labour administration services closer to employers and workers throughout the country.
Mr Vusani said decentralisation also improves access to justice, strengthens compliance and enhances service delivery.
He added: “As Government continues to strengthen the policy and legislative framework for a modern and inclusive labour market, NECs remain indispensable partners in translating these national priorities into practical sectorial action.”
Mr Vusani said through effective collective bargaining, social dialogue, skills development and the promotion of decent work, NECs continue to play a vital role in supporting national development.
To remain effective in an increasingly dynamic labour environment, he encouraged NECs to align collective bargaining outcomes with national priorities, including the National Employment Policy and the Social Contract.
“There is need to also promote skills development, productivity and workforce adaptability, strengthen compliance, stakeholder awareness and labour market research and embrace digital transformation to improve efficiency, accessibility and service delivery.
“NEC are also called on to build the capacity of negotiators, councillors and secretariats to respond effectively to emerging labour market challenges,” he added.
“By pursuing these priorities, NECs will continue to strengthen industrial relations, improve productivity and contribute meaningfully to Zimbabwe’s economic transformation.”
NECs Coordinating Committee Chairperson, Mr Nomore Nhema said strengthening NEC resilience and adaptability in response to labour market changes and Vision 2030 was critical.
“There are opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital transformation and its legal implications. Interpreting emerging labour law developments is key to improving NECs governance.
While there is need to strengthen data protection, cybersecurity and information governance in NEC operations,” he said.
He called on NECs to enhance collective bargaining effectiveness and institutional resilience under Zimbabwe’s Labour Act, while promoting high-productivity workplaces.
Mr Nhema said increased awareness of labour inspection services and emerging employment policies was important as well as facilitating knowledge sharing and collaboration among NEC leaders and stakeholders.
He added: “We need to align NEC strategies with the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) and Vision 2030 through stronger social dialogue, while also developing strategic frameworks for resilient, innovation and future-ready NECs.”
The two day event was convened through the partnership between the NECs and the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and it ran under the theme, “Enhancing NECs’ Resilience and Adaptability in a Dynamic Labour Market Towards Vision 2030.”
