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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
WORKERS in the tourism industry are divided over who should represent them in next week’s salary negotiations.
The National Employment Council for the tourism industry set April 26 as the date for salary negotiations in the sector where tour and safari operators have proposed reducing workers’ salaries citing weak performance by the industry.
Workers on the other hand are pushing for an 80 percent increment claiming they last had a pay rise in 2012.
However, two splinter unions — the National Museums and Monuments Travel, Tourism and Game Parks (NMMTTGP) and the Zimbabwe Tourism Allied Workers Unions (ZTAWU) are fighting for recognition in the negotiations.
Both have to provide a combined 12 members to negotiate with the employer but each accuses the other of being bogus.
In the previous negotiations, a representative from NMMTTGP, Edward Dzapasi, represented workers.
Responding to questions at the Victoria Falls Press Club on Wednesday, secretary general of ZTAWU, Peniel Chinoda, said Dzapasi was not representing the interests of workers.
Interestingly, Chinoda and Dzapasi are in agreement that a majority of those representing workers in the negotiations are non-industry workers.
“The NEC was founded in my house and it was later hijacked yet all its documents are my brain child.
“The negotiations aren’t proper as they’re done by a wrong forum. We need to legitimise composition because once we don’t do that we will continue being manipulated. We’re not happy with people who’re representing us and they’re not from the industry,” said Chinoda.
He said he was being sidelined yet he should know who represents workers as ZTAWU secretary.
Chinoda said there was no register as such as those who have gone there are handpicked.
In his defence, Dzapasi said he was elected to represent the Victoria Falls branch.
He suggested a need to have leaders of the unions based in Victoria Falls by virtue of the town being the centre of the country’s tourism industry.
“We’re not clear how representatives of workers are chosen and how do we know if they’re from the tourism industry. The main centre of tourism is Victoria Falls and why shouldn’t we have the president based here.
“I think we should establish an office where each and every company will send details of workers to see if they are abiding by Collective Bargaining Agreement,” he said.
There is also Joseph Kunzi who claims to have founded NMMTTGP before the union was hijacked.
“I’m the one who made the NMMTTGP be what it is but now am being sidelined,” he said as he seemed determined to throw spanners in the works.
Section 6 of NEC constitution states that no parties shall second people not from the industry into the negotiating forum.
Employers’ Association for Tourism and Safari Operators (EATSO) president, Clement Mukwasi, who represents the NEC, said any demand for a salary hike is ridiculous judging by the performance of the economy.
“We want to abide by the CBA but 80 percent is completely ridiculous. The challenge is that the industry is divided as some believe in unionism and others don’t,” he said.
Workers want an adjustment of their housing and transport allowances that are pegged at $47 and $37 respectively. The sector has been subdued because of a decrease in tourist arrivals, and this is further compounded by a 15 percent VAT on accommodation, which makes the country an expensive destination.
About 90 percent of workers in the sector are on contract and the lowest salary is pegged at $200 per month without other benefits.
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