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Conrad Mwanawashe : Business Reporter
A Bill to legislate the voluntary Tripartite Negotiating Forum and guide relations among Government, business and labour will soon be introduced to parliament, a senior Government official has said. The TNF bill is aimed at legalising the forum to make its decisions binding, among other issues. “Plans to legalise the TNF framework are at an advanced stage,” Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Welfare Tapiwa Matangaidze said.The forum has since its inception been voluntary and unlegislated, a situation which weakened its decision making power.
“We believe that for as long as it remains a voluntary arrangement where decisions are not binding, it cannot take us forward. So soon we will be getting a Bill to Cabinet and Parliament to legalise the TNF arrangement,” he said.
The draft takes into account concerns and input from stakeholders particularly Government’s social partners, business and labour in the TNF.
The TNF is seen as the bedrock in facilitating effective dialogue for the establishment and strengthening of institutions such as the mooted National Productivity Institute, national employment councils and implementation of the principles of the Kadoma Declaration on a shared national socio-economic vision.
Business wants Government to urgently clean up the Labour Act Amendment No. 5 and to address issues relating to the plethora of taxes business is faced with.
Some issues that the TNF could tackle of concern to the business sector include the additional tax burden companies or workers they may have to carry if the proposed National Health Scheme is introduced.
It could also deal with issues relating to the cumbersome dispute resolution process which business wants streamlined.
Online Reporter