Zimpapers Logo

Samantha Chigogo Herald Reporter
Workers have blasted the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) for absconding Monday’s emergency social partners tripartite meeting meant to urgently amend the Labour Act to curb job losses. Workers who spoke to The Herald said ZCTU wanted to cause disaffection among workers to create anarchy in the country.

“The union’s behaviour is a suspected felony by the organisation to incite an uprising of disgruntled workers following numerous job losses after the Supreme Court ruling,’’ said a worker who preferred anonymity.

“ZCTU has been pressing government to immediately address the workers’ plight and to some extent requested President Mugabe to invoke his emergency powers to stop the indiscriminate job loses but when they are called for an urgent meeting they start giving petty excuses.”

Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions (ZFTU) secretary general Mr Kennias Shamuyarira said the snub by ZCTU smacked of a conspiracy theory aimed at causing chaos in the country.

“If you abscond from a meeting meant to benefit your constituency then what are you implying? Their actions are premised on self-centredness and hatred of the Government.”

“Government is seeking constructive avenues to engage workers plight but ZCTU are inversely absenting themselves from negotiations, a move that suggests a call for civil disobedience.”

A worker affiliated with a retail workers union said: “It is disconcerting that of all meetings, ZCTU chose to miss this particular one which was critical in averting more job losses.”