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Government interfering in workers’ activities for political gain, says Zimbabwe trade union body

Government interfering in workers’ activities for political gain, says Zimbabwe trade union body

29th April 2016

By: African News Agency

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Zimbabwe’s biggest labour umbrella body, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has reacted with suspicion to government’s sudden interest in organising International Workers’ Day commemorations in the country, saying it was a ploy to gain political mileage.

Government last organised workers’ day commemorations in the country in 1991, when President Robert Mugabe used to set the minimum wage. Since then, the event has been organised by the ZCTU, which is the leading labour umbrella body in the country.

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“The ZCTU is suspicious that the government has a hidden agenda in all this and that the government wants to interfere with workers’ activities for political gain. All of a sudden the government claims it has workers’ interest, yet its record shows otherwise. Why does it want to wait for the workers’ day to listen to workers’ problems? ZCTU Secretary General, Japhet Moyo told the African News Agency (ANA) in an interview Friday.

He said May Day was a day for workers to speak about issues to do with their wellbeing, adding that it would be a misnomer for government to say they wanted to be in charge of the event.

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Moyo said only last year, Minister of Labour and Social Services, Priscah Mupfumira, had spurned an invitation from the labour body to grace the May Day celebrations in Harare.

He said if government had wanted to organise the national event, it should have approached them well in advance instead of waiting till the 11th hour.

Moyo said reports in a government-controlled daily newspaper that the ZCTU had agreed to hold joint commemorations with the government and its yellow union, the Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions (ZFTU) were not true.

“We would like to make it categorically clear that the ZCTU never agreed to the idea of a Workers’ Day organised by the government. It was a mere corridor talk and wishful thinking by the government.

“For the record, the ZCTU has already planned for Workers’ Day commemorations to be held at Gwanzura Stadium and, like we always do, we have invited the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Priscah Mupfumira to officiate. She is yet to confirm her attendance,” he said.

Moyo said the ZCTU was an independent organisation whose independence could not be compromised by politicians who were seeking relevance.

He, however, said the trade union body would leave its doors open for discussions on future commemorations.

Employers’ Confederation of Zimbabwe (EMCOZ) President Joseph Kahwema also questioned government’s participation, saying workers should be left to carry out their own programmes.

“Let workers organise themselves without interference and undue influence because it creates unnecessary suspicion,” he said.

Government claimed this week that it had brought together the ZFTU and the ZCTU to commemorate May Day in Harare, saying it wanted to re-establish links with the workers.

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