Government and employers reaffirm commitment to labour reforms
The Employers' Confederation of Zimbabwe (EMCOZ), the ILO accredited representative of employer organizations in Zimbabwe, organized a half day interaction between employers and the newly appointed Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare. The interaction served to introduce the Minister to the captains of industry and to update employers on the status of labour law reform.
12 February 2015
A consultative meeting convened by EMCOZ brought together a total of 195 participants drawn from various Government bodies, employer associations, business member organization, and workers organizations. The meeting discussed the ongoing labour law reforms and other interventions that could enhance productivity, social dialogue and other strategies of reducing industrial disputation.
Mr . Jack Murehwa, President of EMCOZ, reaffirmed the employer’s determination to increasing engagement with Government on matters affecting the world of work. On behalf of employers, he congratulated Hon Senator Priscah Mupfumira on her recent appointment as the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare. He noted that businesses in Zimbabwe were operating in a challenging environment characterized by low capacity utilization, weak access to lines of credit, protracted wage negotiations and restrictive laws that discourage labour market flexibility. Mr Murehwa expressed his hope that the meeting would allow the Minister to articulate her vision and mission of the Ministry and the next steps to improve the business environment.
Employers hoped the meeting would give some indication when the draft Labour Act and Public Service Act will be adopted. Mr. Murehwa reiterated the employers commitment to social dialogue, “…social dialogue is not a luxury we can dispense with when it becomes inconvenient. It is a dire necessity…”. He also highlighted the growing consensus between Business and Labour that the national challenges go beyond the Labour Market and require a solution at the political level.
Ms. Hopolang Phororo, ILO Director Country Office for Zimbabwe, reminded participants of the ILO’s close and productive relationship with the tripartite partners over the years in pursing the shared goal of achieving Decent Work for all women and men in Zimbabwe. She urged that such collaboration is imperative as Zimbabwe faces notable levels of underemployment and informality. As a result, a significant proportion of the population has limited access to social protection, its exclusion from social dialogue processes and has low coverage by labour administration systems, including labour laws. Ms. Phororo said, “…the ILO firmly believes that the current challenges in the operating environment offer an opportunity, to strengthen social dialogue and tripartism, particularly in addressing socio-economic challenges facing the country”. She expressed her hope that the reforms will achieve a virtuous cycle of better working conditions, higher wages, and increased productivity. Creating efficiency and equity as well as ensuring achieve a viable balance between flexibility and security. Ms. Phororo concluded by stating the ILO’s commitment to assisting the tripartite partners with the various stages of labour law reform and in implementing the new laws in practice to deepen the implementation of International Labour Standards.
The Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Hon Mupfumira, applauded the spirit within which the meeting was held, one that recognized the role different constituencies could play towards positive socio-economic transformation. A fruitful approach particularly as the nation sought a holistic approach to provide an enabling environment for sustainable socio-economic empowerment and social transformation with the framework of the economic blueprint, “Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-economic Transformation” (ZIM-ASSET).
The Minister noted the high rates of retrenchments and challenged business to work with government to build sustainable enterprises and maintain industrial harmony essential for productivity. She provided an update on the labour reform process - the guiding principles have been agreed to by social partners and adopted by Cabinet, the document is now under legal drafting and stakeholders will be afforded an opportunity to validate it once drafting has been finalized. The expectation was that the process should take around six months to be concluded. She was optimistic that the reforms would balance business interests with those of the workers. The Minister reiterated Government’s commitment to the tenets of the decent work agenda whilst ensuring the sustainability of enterprises.
Apart from the legislative reforms to incorporate productivity bargaining in the Labour Act, the Government is aware of the need to speedily establish and operationalize the Zimbabwe National Productivity Institute. The Institute will provide national productivity research and benchmarks that can be used by parties in collective bargaining, among other functions. The Minister encouraged the private sector and development partners to contribute resources towards the establishment and financing of this institution. She concluded her remarks by assuring the meeting of government’s commitment to the spirit of tripartism and finding lasting solutions to the myriad of challenges that Zimbabwe have faced as a nation.
Mr . Jack Murehwa, President of EMCOZ, reaffirmed the employer’s determination to increasing engagement with Government on matters affecting the world of work. On behalf of employers, he congratulated Hon Senator Priscah Mupfumira on her recent appointment as the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare. He noted that businesses in Zimbabwe were operating in a challenging environment characterized by low capacity utilization, weak access to lines of credit, protracted wage negotiations and restrictive laws that discourage labour market flexibility. Mr Murehwa expressed his hope that the meeting would allow the Minister to articulate her vision and mission of the Ministry and the next steps to improve the business environment.
Employers hoped the meeting would give some indication when the draft Labour Act and Public Service Act will be adopted. Mr. Murehwa reiterated the employers commitment to social dialogue, “…social dialogue is not a luxury we can dispense with when it becomes inconvenient. It is a dire necessity…”. He also highlighted the growing consensus between Business and Labour that the national challenges go beyond the Labour Market and require a solution at the political level.
Ms. Hopolang Phororo, ILO Director Country Office for Zimbabwe, reminded participants of the ILO’s close and productive relationship with the tripartite partners over the years in pursing the shared goal of achieving Decent Work for all women and men in Zimbabwe. She urged that such collaboration is imperative as Zimbabwe faces notable levels of underemployment and informality. As a result, a significant proportion of the population has limited access to social protection, its exclusion from social dialogue processes and has low coverage by labour administration systems, including labour laws. Ms. Phororo said, “…the ILO firmly believes that the current challenges in the operating environment offer an opportunity, to strengthen social dialogue and tripartism, particularly in addressing socio-economic challenges facing the country”. She expressed her hope that the reforms will achieve a virtuous cycle of better working conditions, higher wages, and increased productivity. Creating efficiency and equity as well as ensuring achieve a viable balance between flexibility and security. Ms. Phororo concluded by stating the ILO’s commitment to assisting the tripartite partners with the various stages of labour law reform and in implementing the new laws in practice to deepen the implementation of International Labour Standards.
The Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Hon Mupfumira, applauded the spirit within which the meeting was held, one that recognized the role different constituencies could play towards positive socio-economic transformation. A fruitful approach particularly as the nation sought a holistic approach to provide an enabling environment for sustainable socio-economic empowerment and social transformation with the framework of the economic blueprint, “Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-economic Transformation” (ZIM-ASSET).
The Minister noted the high rates of retrenchments and challenged business to work with government to build sustainable enterprises and maintain industrial harmony essential for productivity. She provided an update on the labour reform process - the guiding principles have been agreed to by social partners and adopted by Cabinet, the document is now under legal drafting and stakeholders will be afforded an opportunity to validate it once drafting has been finalized. The expectation was that the process should take around six months to be concluded. She was optimistic that the reforms would balance business interests with those of the workers. The Minister reiterated Government’s commitment to the tenets of the decent work agenda whilst ensuring the sustainability of enterprises.
Apart from the legislative reforms to incorporate productivity bargaining in the Labour Act, the Government is aware of the need to speedily establish and operationalize the Zimbabwe National Productivity Institute. The Institute will provide national productivity research and benchmarks that can be used by parties in collective bargaining, among other functions. The Minister encouraged the private sector and development partners to contribute resources towards the establishment and financing of this institution. She concluded her remarks by assuring the meeting of government’s commitment to the spirit of tripartism and finding lasting solutions to the myriad of challenges that Zimbabwe have faced as a nation.