Trade unions under fire

Cletus Mushanawani News Editor
THE continuous politicising of labour unions, selfishness of union representatives, retrenchments as well as poor salaries have dampened this year’s Workers Day Celebrations, with employees castigating individuals using them to gain political mileage. Zimbabwe will tomorrow (Friday) join the rest of the world in commemorating Workers’ Day, but most employees feel that there is nothing worthy commemorating as some labour unions stand accused of going to bed with employers, leaving most people facing a bleak future.

While, some workers expressed pessimism, Government through the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare last week gave employees hope after announcing the tightening of retrenchment regulations, which now makes it difficult for companies to willy-nilly retrench people.

Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Cde Prisca Mupfumira, said companies intending to retrench employees should first get approval from the Government.

“They should also submit the total wage bill of the company, highlighting how much will be saved by the proposed retrenchment.
“They should also submit the company board of directors fee structure, including allowances paid to the directors. They should also submit measures previously undertaken by management and workers to avoid retrenchments,” said Cde Mupfumira.

However, those interviewed felt that while Government was trying to cushion, employees, some unscrupulous unions were letting the employees down by pursuing selfish political agendas.

Former national treasurer of the Transport and General Workers Union and now a councillor of the National Employment Council for the Transport Operating Union collective bargaining agreement sub-committee, Mr Peter Maviza, said too much politicising of labour unions have weakened their bargaining power.

“We have now power hungry individuals who are doing everything possible to gain political power at the expense of employees’ welfare. Politics of the stomach is now the order of the day among labour unions and some have totally turned their backs on their constituencies. You cannot expect employees to celebrate when their face a lot of uncertainties.

“Like what happened in the civil servants debate, President Mugabe should intervene and give a directive to have a national minimum wage. The unions have failed to negotiate and employees cannot continue suffering at the hands of selfish individuals who are smiling all the way to the banks after being greased by unscrupulous employers. The trade unions no longer effectively negotiate decent salaries for workers, so whose interests are they serving?

“Employees are going for months without salaries, but it seems no-one is caring, hence the need for the highest office to intervene to ensure compliance,” said Mr Maviza.
Commercial law expert Mr Passmore Nyakureba, said: “Workers’ Day commemorations have in my mind lost relevance in our context mainly because of three reasons, which are the politicisation of labour movements which has resulted in workers distancing themselves from celebratory gatherings mobilised by the two leading trade unions, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions and Zimbabwe Federations of Trade Unions, choosing to stay at home or take the opportunity of the holiday to engage in personal business.

“Secondly the prevailing economic environment obtaining since the turn of the millennium has really dampened the spirit of celebrating a Workers’ Day holiday for many employees whatever the reason we give for the economic collapse, as there is no worker who can say I am taking a holiday on May 1 as everyone will be busy trying to make ends meet. People are running around to raise school fees for their kids, looking for money to pay rentals and so forth.

“Lastly, officially over 70 percent of our working population is self-employed in all sorts of informal businesses from street vending, home industries, backyard industry and farming, so in an economy where the majority of the people are self-employed to expect them to go to Sakubva Stadium and attend Workers’ Day commemorations will be asking for too much and on the other had those who are formally employment do not consider the quality of celebrations worth attending because of issues I have stated above. They have no time to listen to political statements whole day-long when they could be doing something else productive.”

ZFTU vice-president Mr Enock Sithole said Government as the biggest employer should play an active role in organising May Day celebrations as what used to happen soon after independence.

“Government is now aloof when it comes to organising May Day celebrations and everything is now being left to trade unions. This should not be the case because Government is part and parcel of the tripartite negotiation forum and has a big say in employees’ welfare. The Labour Ministry should increase its visibility and intervene in the speedy resolutions of labour disputes as some employers are trampling on workers’ right with impunity.

“People are going for six months without salaries and they should be an enforcement of the labour laws,” he said.