Source: Zimbabwe among labour rights violators | The Financial Gazette June 29, 2017
THE International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has listed Zimbabwe among 35 countries where labour standards continue to deteriorate.
The ITUC Global Rights Index 2017, covering part of 2016 and 2017, saw Zimbabwe getting a fifth category rating.
Countries with a rating of five are the worst countries in the world to work in.
While the legislation in such countries may spell out certain rights for workers, they have no access to these rights and are mostly at the mercy of autocratic regimes and unfair labour practices, the ITUC said.
The countries are rated from one to five. Category one has countries with irregular violation of rights; two has countries that repeatedly violate workers’ rights; three has countries that regularly violate workers’ rights; four has countries that systematically violates workers’ rights; and five has countries where workers’ rights are not guaranteed.
An additional category, five-plus, is for countries where workers’ rights are not guaranteed because of the breakdown of the rule of law.
The report said Zimbabwe recorded serious labour violations after, for example, government threatened to fire striking doctors who demanded better salaries and working conditions during a two-day strike action between 15-16 February 2017.
The management of Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals issued a memo announcing that any doctor who joined the strike would be removed from the duty register and pay roll.
This was followed with the government instructing the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare to compile names of doctors who joined the strike at all its hospitals countrywide.
The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA)’s seizure of over $50 000 belonging to the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU)’s Education Fund because of alleged arrears was also captured as anti-trade union behaviour.
The ITUC report noted that even though the ZCTU tried to reverse the seizure order, arguing that the funds were purely for the implementation of educational activities, ZIMRA transferred the funds to the Ministry of Finance.
“Conditions in Africa have deteriorated, with Benin, Nigeria and Zimbabwe being the worst performing countries including many cases of workers suspended or dismissed for taking legitimate strike action,” said the report.
The report observed that the Middle East and North Africa remained dangerous places for trade unionists in terms of violence, arbitrary arrests and unjustified detention. The region was once the worst in the world for workers.
Category five-plus countries included Palestine, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Libya.
In Africa, category five-plus countries are Central African Republic, Eritrea, Somalia, Burundi, South Sudan and Sudan.
Trends in Africa included the non-recognition of trade unions for collective bargaining, violent repression of street protests and non-payment of wages.
“Zimbabwe, Benin and Nigeria were the worst performing countries in this region where unions are often demonised as being against the State or the nation’s economic development for the justified exercise of international labour rights,” said ITUC secretary general, Sharan Burrow.
In comparison, European governments have greater respect and support for trade unions, benefiting from a strong culture and tradition of industrial relations, especially within the member States of the European Union.
“Rights to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly were violated in 50 countries in 2017. This is concerning as they are important, enabling rights for workers. It is particularly important in the internet age for a message of equality, human rights and solidarity to be heard by the public and disseminated as widely as possible in order to influence policy and increase membership,” said Burrow.
“Denying workers protection under labour laws creates a hidden workforce, where governments and companies refuse to take responsibility, especially for migrant workers, domestic workers and those on short term contracts. In too many countries, fundamental democratic rights are being undermined by corporate interests.”
The ITUC Global Rights Index 2017 ranks 139 countries against 97 internationally recognised indicators to assess where workers’ rights are best protected in law and in practice.
The number of countries where workers are exposed to physical violence and threats increased by 10 percent (from 52 to 59 countries) and these include Colombia, Egypt, Guatemala, Indonesia and Ukraine. Unionists were murdered in such countries like Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, Guatemala, Honduras, Italy, Mauritania, Mexico, Peru, the Philippines and Venezuela.
“We need to look no further than these shocking figures to understand why economic inequality is the highest in modern history. Working people are being denied the basic rights through which they can organise and collectively bargain for a fair share. This, along with growing constraints on freedom of speech, is driving populism and threatening democracy itself,” said Burrow. – By Alois Vinga
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