New ZCTU president outlines game plan

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) recently held its eighth general conference which ushered in a new executive to run the union from up to 2021. The Financial Gazette’s correspondent, Alois Vinga (AV), this week spoke to the organisation’s newly elected president, Peter Mutasa (PM), on his appointment, his vision and developments in the labour union.

AV: May you please give us your brief background?

PM: I worked for Standard Chartered Bank in various clerical positions for 10 years before I was dismissed in 2007 because of labour rights activism. In 1998 while still at Standard Chartered Bank, I joined the Zimbabwe Banks and Allied Workers Union (ZIBAWU) and immediately became active in the workers’ committee. In 2003, I was elected the ZIBAWU national workers committee chairperson, a position that I held for four years. The Lord has been kind to me for I have been favoured to hold the following positions at national and international level: 2003, 2005-2006, ZIBAWU Harare branch secretary; 2006-2008, ZIBAWU vice president; 2008-2012 ZIBAWU president; 2009-2013, UNI Global Union Africa youth executive committee member; 2012 to date, ZIBAWU general secretary; 2012-2016, ZCTU third vice president. I hold a Bachelor in Business Administration degree and am working on my dissertation for a Masters in Public Policy and Governance.

AV: What is your appreciation of the demands of this new post?

PM: Considering the challenging social, economic and political environment obtaining in our dear country, this is definitely one of the demanding posts around.

AV: The ZCTU is the country’ oldest and reputable labour federation. What do you have in your plans to maintain the organisation’s reputation?

PM: Let me talk about the mandate we got from the recent conference. We were directed to ensure that we develop a united, independent, democratic and vibrant labour movement in the country. All plans will therefore focus on achieving this congress directive.

AV: There have been many challenges affecting the ZCTU, for instance, media reports saying the union is broke; union membership is dwindling; the union has a huge salary backlog for its employees and many other problems. What strategy are you going to employ to address these challenges?

PM: The challenges we face, which largely reflect the problems bedevilling the country, are not insurmountable. We will soon be carrying out wide consultations among the current affiliates in order to find lasting solutions to some of these challenges. However, our focus should be going back to the basics. This entails focusing on uniting the labour movement in the country and also organising as many potential trade union members as possible. This entails improving on all our processes and reputation in order to be relevant to the workers of today.

AV: Towards the ZCTU eighth congress media reports indicated that a number of unions were in bad standing and could not participate in the congress. Do you have a plan or resolution to bring them on board? Is cancelling their arrears an option the organisation is considering?

PM: Again this is a matter which the conference directed us to resolve. Indeed, cancelling arrears is one of the options in the short term. We also have been working towards other initiatives such as merging unions registered in similar sectors as a way of building powerful and financially sustainable organisations. Apart from the internal focus ZCTU will demand and advocate for a change of course in the economic, financial and political management of the nation. Most of the problems afflicting Zimbabwean organisations, trade unions included, are a direct result of disastrous governance and management of our economy hence this will be part of the strategy.

AV: What about the affiliate unions which left during the Lovemore Matombo feud; are there chances of their readmission?

PM: We have a broad mandate to unite the labour movement in Zimbabwe. This means any genuine trade union which shares our values and commits to abide by the ZCTU constitution will be welcome to join the big family. This will obviously be subject to the formalities prescribed by our constitution and the governing structures.

AV: There are indications that the youth in Zimbabwe are among the world’s poorest of the working class. Do you have any plans to push the social partners to consider their plight?

PM: This is unfortunately another sad story not only for Zimbabwe, but for Africa. Instead of us benefiting from the youth bulge, we have failed to harness this mighty force for development. The majority of the youths are unemployed, lack skills and those in employment work under the burden of poor working conditions mostly in precarious jobs. To accommodate the youth, we now have a youth structure, which held its inaugural conference this year. All the youth conference resolutions, which include demands for employment creation and elimination of decent work deficits in both formal and informal sectors were adopted by the general conference. Together with the youth leadership, we will include these issues as part of our demands for economic governance reforms. This entails effective participation of the youths in all trade union activities and structures.

AV: Any plan to tap into the informal sector which now employs many citizens?

PM: We started organising in the informal sector a long time ago. We will, however, intensify organising in this sector as well as building capacity for workers in this sector in order to address the numerous challenges they face. This is also a peculiar sector, which is very different from the formal sector and requires continuous engagement in order to get a clearer understanding of the needs of these particular workers. We carried out various researches in the past, but still more work in this regard needs to be done. We aim to raise the voice and strength of the informal sector workers through advocacy and campaigns in order to get policy changes for the good of this sector whose challenges have been neglected by policy makers for a long time.

AV: Do you see yourselves regaining the lost mojo that charaterised the ZCTU during the late 1990s?

PM: I don’t think it is lost, but reserved mojo. No doubt about that, considering the organisational architecture, capacity and potential of the ZCTU. Besides, trade unions by nature as democratic membership-driven institutions have a mechanism for self-renewal. Leadership and membership changes and with this new thinking and strategies crop up geared to face the emerging challenges of the day. Zimbabwean trade unions demonstrated this ability to mobilise for a desired change since the colonial era. As a Christian, I am moved by faith, hope and the firm belief that with God everything is possible. ZCTU is on its way back to greatness.

AV: Currently, government and business enjoy a symbiotic relationship because most policy makers, if not all, are employers. This appears to be a threat to employees. How do you intend to overcome such emerging barriers?

PM: You are correct, judging by occurrence such as the Zuva (Petroleum) judgment, which we see as an attack on labour and the Special Economic Zones which is a parliamentary embarrassment. The way the Labour Amendment No 5 of 2015 and Special Economic Zones Bills passed through both houses without consideration of concerns from labour movement exposed the established and budding incestuous relations between business and policy makers. Again most ministers have clearly assumed narrow business special interests advocacy roles in both their pronouncements and actions. Their convergence seems to be based on a simple belief on the myth that economic development can only be achieved through neo-liberal policies. For business, it is sheer greediness and for government it may be conflict of interests, ignorance or desperation. These relations and misguided policies are causing untold suffering to the citizens of Zimbabwe. Labour will have to coordinate all the affected sections of the society to fight for their livelihoods and future.

AV: In some provinces, politicians have been attempting to muzzle labour rights. I know of places and companies where employees are victimised for exercising their rights. Even at national level there have been attempts to silence the working class. For instance, the government at one point proposed that workers in Special Economic zones should not be bound by the labour law. The Zimbabwe Republic Police has been suppressing demonstrations despite them having been cleared by the courts. How do you intend to deal with this?

PM: Our preferred route of addressing national challenges is social dialogue. If authorities are willing and able to listen to our concerns, for example, the refusal by the President (Robert Mugabe) to assent to the Special Economic Zones Bill after labour raised serious objections, then through dialogue we will deal with such matters. However, should there be complete disdain of civil means to addressing matters, labour will be forced to demand justice through various means such as mobilising for civil disobedience. We have also over the years successfully challenged such practices at the international arena and already the International Labour Organisation is sending a high level mission next year to deal with such matters. Our hope is that the authorities will appreciate the need to avoid such embarrassing and costly possibilities by embracing social dialogue. The government simply needs to embrace the spirit of constitutionalism for the good of the country and its citizens.

AV: Thousands of employees have lost their jobs without meaningful compensation. The few remaining are scared to challenge employers for fear of losing jobs. Is it going to be easy to recruit and pull numbers equivalent to the demographics of the labour fraternity of the 1980s?

PM: Indeed there is fear in the workplace occasioned by past occurrences and experiences. However, trade unions did not emerge because there was a conducive environment. In fact, they were born out of serious suffering of the working class that was facing unbearable hardships. I believe workers will resolve to stop this current madness and come together to free themselves from this bondage of fear. On our part we will take collective measures such as boycotts against products of employers who will continue to disregard fundamental rights of workers.

AV: Sexual harassment of female employees continues to persist despite years of raising awareness. Workplaces are still dangerous for female employees as hundreds of them confirm experiencing varying forms of sexual abuse. What is your plan to curb this?

PM: Research and survey findings indeed indicate an unacceptable state of affairs in the workplaces in this regard. My view is that we need to intensify awareness campaigns and also effectively assist victims to litigate. One of the major factors working against eradication of sexual harassment at the workplace is the fact that there have been few claims against businesses hence most businesses do not regard this as a risk area. We also need to call for reforms of the legislative and administrative frameworks because most research findings state these as impediments to successful litigation.

AV: In the 1990s the ZCTU saw the need to find a political solution in advancing the rights of the working class, which culminated in the formation of the Movement for Democratic Change. However, some employees are convinced that the MDC’s policies are no longer reflective of the workers interests. Do you also believe this to be true and how are you going to push for workers interests at a political level?

PM: Unfortunately I have not come across any empirical evidence to support that fact. It may be an area we may need to carry out surveys to determine that although it may be difficult to get valid results because ZCTU organises workers from different political persuasions. The labour movement is unique in that it draws membership from workers with diverse religious, political and ethnical backgrounds bound by the desire for a better life. The movement is therefore driven by permanent interests that transcend political affiliation or preferences boundaries. We are able and will continue to build broad coalitions with the poor such as the unemployed, youths, students, peasants and other entities desiring better lives and good governance to push for workers interests at the political level. There is nothing that can stop the ZCTU to enter into alliances with like-minded organisations in order to promote or protect the working class interests. However, the ZCTU will jealously guard its identity, unity, and independence.

AV: ZCTU critics allege that the union is an accessory of the opposition party MDC-T, hence it has lost the plight of the employees in its modus operandi. What’s your comment?

PM: I disagree; the ZCTU is an independent trade union whose membership span across the political divides. It maybe that over the years such perceptions were allowed to develop and cloud the reality, but the ZCTU is and shall always be an independent labour movement. We will investigate such claims and seriously work towards eradicating any basis for such perceptions.

AV: Your last word to the workers in Zimbabwe?

PM: Someday, the majority of Zimbabwean workers shall unite under an independent, strong and vibrant ZCTU. Then we are going to use our collective strength and voice to change our lives for the better and that time is coming soon. Financial Gazette