The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) condemns in strongest terms the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Prisca Mupfumisa’s conduct of interfering in social dialogue processes by directly contacting workers in the civil service on the issue of the 2016 bonuses.
The Minister is reportedly sending officials ostensibly on a ‘survey’ to find out whether civil servants want housing stands or money as payment for 2016 bonuses, ignoring the pleas from unions who represent civil servants.
We are appalled that a Minister, who should be guarding jealously the spirit of collective bargaining and social dialogue undermines the process by engaging individual workers when there are established representative unions that cover the interests of all workers. Her conduct in approaching individual workers offering residential stands in place of cash for bonuses is clear disregard for social dialogue and the on-going collective bargaining processes.
Mupfumira has set a bad example to other employers. Instead of regulating employment relations in the country, she is now at the forefront engaging in divide and rule machinations to the advantage of employers in this case, the government.
Her action smacks of a stubborn authority that forgets and learns nothing as just last week the government was hosting a High Level ILO Mission checking on government’s progress in implementing recommendations which included issues of collective bargaining in the civil service. Mupfumira needs to be reminded of the gross consequences that can arise if the trade unions take up the matter at the international level.
As labour we have lost faith in her capacity to continue in that ministerial portfolio since she appears to be more concerned in fermenting divisions and disharmony. Mupfumira’s role is to create a conducive environment for the parties to negotiate to the end not her wanton interference and trying to play the better devil.
The ZCTU stands in solidarity with civil servants union leaders and all public workers in the actions that they may engage in defence of their rights. We also view the needless audits of workers leaders’ lifestyles, that was published in The Herald of 2 March 2017 as clear efforts of undermining the operations of trade unions. Trade unionists, like anyone else have a right to own houses where they can afford. In fact, there are Ministers who are said to own mansions that are beyond what they earn, raising eyebrows to the source of their funds.
Japhet Moyo
SECRETRAY-GENERAL
