IPS: ZIMBABWE: LABOUR MOVEMENT DISPUTES NEW BILL
Mr. Aaron Barnhart
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.
Title: ZIMBABWE: LABOUR MOVEMENT DISPUTES NEW BILL
an inter press feature service
by john ngahyoma
harare, oct 2 (ips) -- employers and trade unions in zimbabwe
are now at loggerheads with the new labour relations bill
passed by the parliament here recently.
the employers, represented by the zimbabwe confederation of
employers (emcoz), are satisfied with the new bill. but the
trade unions, under the umbrella zimbabwe congress of trade
unions (zctu), say that the bill must be withdrawn.
one area of objection by trade unions is the wide definition
of managerial employees in the new bill. the definition is so
wide that anyone who even remotely supervises others is
considered a managerial worker.
according to the new bill, managerial employees and the
workers they supervise cannot join the same union.
''the bill cannot be accepted the way it is. it weakens the
union by splitting its members'', says zctu secretary-general
in the unions' publication, 'the worker'.
''we will have to use our organising skills to keep workers
united under one union where they are stronger'', adds morgen
tsvangirai.
but the emcoz says its satisfied with the definition of
managerial employees.
''it is now up to the employees to either accept promotions
and enter the managerial committees or reject promotions and
remain to strengthen the unions'', emcoz's acting executive-
secretary, llyod mutandi, told ips.
the employers are also happy with a two-week notice before
employees start their six-month maternity leave and the
streamlining of dispute settlement.
''there are certain areas that we feel can be improved but for
the time being we can live with them. employers do not intend to
stop the bill from being endorsed (by the president)'', mutandi
says.
a committee consisting of the zctu, emcoz and the ministry of
labour was formed four years ago to discuss the old labour
relations act.
but the zctu says the amendments were made and the bill
passed without prior discussions with the trade unions' and
employers' organisations. (moreips)
zimbabwe: labour (2)
however, the trade unions say the bill has been changed,
ignoring points raised during the committee meetings. they want
the bill to be returned to the committee before it is made law.
the unions say the bill gives the labour minister as wide
powers as in the previous act, even though it was agreed in the
committee that employers and labour would have greater freedom
of collective bargaining.
the bill empowers the minister to reverse any decision made
by negotiating teams. this, the unions say, could make the
exercise a waste of time.
tsvangirai says the government is trying to weaken the unions
now that the workers need them most because of the hardships
under the economic structural adjustment programme (esap) and the
drought.
''an economic policy that makes ordinary people unable to
afford food, clothes, rent and schooling can only be implemented
if the people have been thoroughly disorganised'', says the
trade union official.
the zctu had proposed employers be obliged to put workers on
light duty when instructed to do so by a doctor. it had also
suggested workers with occupational illnesses, covered by
workers compensation, should not be fired after 26 days.
but, according to the zctu, these proposals were totally
ignored by the authorities.
''it is the duty of the union to represent the interest of
ordinary workers on labour relation issues, and the bill is
standing in our way'', says tsvangirai. (end/ips/jn/et/apc/92)