What are the main challenges faced by trade unions and compare the efforts to overcome decline in at least two of the three countries analysed during the module. The relationship between trade unions and political parties. However the controversy arises when we attempt to answer the question as to whether they should be involved in partisan politics. The target of succeeding governments, political factions, employers, and economic policies, trade unions have faced these challenges armed with weak organizational structures and often a lack of unity. The dictionary of contemporary politics of southern africa. The registrar publishes a notice in the gazette and within 30 days of publication, the union gets registered. Sbu in an effort to understand the current status of the labor movement, between march 17 and 26 we spoke with leaders of six different labor unions as well as the umbrella labor organization, the zimbabwe congress of trade unions zctu. Pdf the rise and fall of trade unionism in zimbabwe.
The constitution of zimbabwe allows freedom of association to all, provided that no person may compel any other person to join an association or to attend a meeting or gathering. Collecting bargaining agreements in zimbabwe according to the labour act is negotiated by registered or certified trade unions, employers and employers organisations or federations. Labour withdraws from party politics and a multiparty democracy is created. The decline in trade union density in the 21stcentury in zimbabwe. There is no one theory of trade unionism, but many contributors to these theories are revolutionaries like marx and engels, civil servants like sydney webb, academics like common and hoxie and labour leader like mitchall. This is the oldest and one of the largest trade union federations in the country. Trade union services and benefits in africa edited by. The labor movement in zimbabwe has maintained a precarious existence for several decades. The paper also recommends the delinking of trade unions from political parties.
The african ejournals project has digitized full text of. Trade union, also called labor union, an association of workers in a particular trade, industry, or company created for the purpose of securing improvements in pay, benefits, working conditions, or social and political status through collective bargaining. Union leaders told studio 7 in separate interviews politicians are in the habit of hijacking such events to feather their own political nests. Therefore political and economic decisions affect them for better or for worse. Workers struggles in zimbabwe one such case is that of zimbabwe, which forms the focus of this article. Much will depend on the power struggle within the ruling party, the cohesion of the opp osition and the ability of the international community to seize the moment and re engage the country in a process of real and meaningful change. Refuse to employ a person on the grounds that he is a member of a union. Firstly, trade unions usually function as significant collective interest groups whose role is fundamental to the reproduction of the economy. In the above context, the primary aim of this study is to examine the politicization of the trade unions and its. A study may be conducted on the political involvement of each trade union or federation of trade unions in south africa.
As a result, for the most part, they have lost organic contact with union rankandfile members. Put a condition in a contract of employment preventing an employee joining a trade union. Discriminate against a worker on the grounds that he is a member of a union. Jeffrey mutandare is a former president of the zctu. Firstly, the trade union movement in zimbabwe is paralysed. Uk politics education society science tech global development obituaries more trade unions. In much of africa, people look to trade unions for leadership, especially at times of economic downturn. The rise and fall of trade unionism in zimbabwe, part i. Zimbabwean trade unions and their coalition partners have created an.
As clearly demonstrated a trade union can belong to more than one category. The political role of trade unions today according to cosatu 142 the political role of trade unions according to the unions 151 overview of organisational and political responses to the effects of neoliberalism 154 conclusion 157 chapter 6. Majority of the trade union leaders are political leaders which is against the interest of the workers and politicization of trade union is really a challenge to strong and stable trade unions in india. Phelan further states that governments regulated wage bargaining through income policies and related economic. Apr 29, 2014 zimbabwes major workers unions will for the first time snub political party leaders as they mark workers day on thursday. A trade unionist of today, who sees that some of his aims are best promoted by political means, will recognize that political events must have had a significant bearing on the development of trade union activities and policy. Below is a list of some of them and their categories. Zimbabwe workers unions snub political parties zimbabwe. All but one of these unions are formally affiliated with the zctu. Zimbabwe congress of trade unions phone and map of address. The relationship between trade unions and political parties 1. It is expected that the present research findings will add new knowledge to the existing literature on the subject which may benefit the industrial relation system in india. Trade unions in zimbabwe role, functions of workers.
Trade unions freedom to join and form a union the constitution of zimbabwe allows freedom of association to all, provided that no person may compel any other person to join an association or to attend a meeting or gathering. The political economy of transition 19801986 dakar, codesria, 24373. The labour movement and the emergence of opposition politics in. Special reference will be made to the way in which trade unions in.
Trade unions and party politics provides a finely tuned critique of the impact achieved by these strategies, within the context of both the unique forces shaping them and the looming shadow of the new global economy. The former general secretary was morgan tsvangirai. Challenges facing trade unions in the modern society. The atuc represented black african workers, and was opposed to the system of white minority rule in rhodesia. Trade unions engage or influence the formation of opposition political parties in southern africa. From an early stage, the establishment of a singleparty state was openly espoused see, inter alia, cliffe, mpofu and munslow, 1980. In 1957 there was an african national congress anc a political trade union.
Yet if unions are inescapably both economic and political actors, the relationship between the two roles is complex and contradictory, and the. In this discussion we use politics and partisan politics interchangeably. Although their power to influence wages and working conditions and to defend workers has suffered enormously and tends to be quite weak nowadays, it would be wrong to writeoff african trade union. Trade unions and th politics of national liberation in africa sakhela buhlungu. During independence struggle, trade unions across the continent offered the most important platform for ordinary people to voice their frustrations and to demand for selfdetermination. Pdf problems and challenges of collective bargaining in the. Ppe including gowns and masks running out, admits uk government. These funds are controlled by the union leaderships.
Relationship between trade unions and political parties 2. Collective bargaining in zimbabwe collective bargaining. At the heart of the economic crisis is an unstable political environment stemming from the tyrannical rule of former. This research was largely conducted in the course of my doctoral thesis, defended at the london school of economics in 2002. Labour unions typically fund the formal organization, head office. Summary examines the political role of trade unions in seven african countries nigeria, south africa, namibia, uganda, ghana, senegal and zimbabwe and the various ways in which they seek to influence political parties and the state.
Except for those in security services, workers are allowed to form unions and to participate in the lawful activities of those unions and organisations. Trade unions are not merely economic or industrial relations actors. Political revolutionary theory of labour movement of marx and engels. From the very beginning the questions of legitimacy. South africa, uganda ghana, south africa friedrichebertstiftung international trade union cooperation brie. History of labor in zimbabwe before and after independence. State of gender balance in trade unions after noting that zimbabwe and trade unions have not been an exception to the trend of patriarchal practices and inequalities the congress resolved to. Witnesses say that a number of those arrested including an opposition mp have been assaulted and are in need of medical attention. By 1987, political hegemony was secured under the zimbabwe african national union patriotic front zanupf and the ubiquitous figurehead. All but one of these unions are formally affiliated. There are a number of trade unions that operate in zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe congress of trade unions, trade unions, zimbabwe. What we witness in actuality is the early beginnings of a peoples front movement in the united states, for which the trade unions the c. Despite the political importance that the labour movement attained in post. The african trade union congress atuc was a national trade union centre in rhodesia later zimbabwe. Although africas wageworkers are relatively few in comparison to those in the informal economy, their experience of organisation and mass mobilisation and their position in the modern economy give them a strategic role in the politics of democratisation and development. The zimbabwe congress of trade unions zctu emerged from under the wing of the ruling party in the second half of the 1980s to become the epicentre of organised opposi tional politics in zimbabwe. This national centre was not established as a spontaneous initiative of the labour unions themselves but as the initiative of the state with its corporatist interest. As a federation, it brought together many of the unions formed after the wave of strikes at the beginning of 1973 which marked a renewal of trade union. Challenges facing trade unions in the modern society are also discussed in this section.
Objectives, function, formation, regulation, rights and liabilities. The employer can deduct union dues from the workers wages and transfer it to the trade union. Summary examines the political role of trade unions in seven african countries nigeria, south africa, namibia, uganda, ghana, senegal and zimbabwe and the various ways in which they seek to influence political. Us ambassador says labour politics in zimbabwe is dirty. Weak but feared by hubert rene schillinger march 2005 summary trade unions in africa are weak organisations with many internal problems. What events take place and processes happen depend on a number of things. They were formed to counterbalance the monopsony power of employers and seek higher wages, better working conditions and a fairer share of the companys profits. In a number of countries, trade unions played a decisive in the removal of autocratic regimes. August, 1996 this project was funded under purchase order no. Weaknesses in responses, and alternative strategies 160. An analysis of trade unions in zimbabwe by the united states. When it comes to the question of whether trade unions should be involved in politics, the answer is a. This first part covers the period 19901995, when the labour centre was in its most radical mode. The study will trace the history of trade unions in zimbabwe from their formative age to the end of the 20th century, looking at the factors that contributed towards the thriving of trade unions before the decline in trade union density in the 21st century in zimbabwe.
The paper recommends the formation of a single trade union or rather the merging of both zctu factions with zftu so as to boost trade union density in the country. Trade unions in africa are weak organisations with many internal problems. Weekend post trade unions and politics inseparable. The zimbabwe congress of trade unions is the primary trade union federation in zimbabwe. The zimbabwe experience harare, zimbabwe institute of development studies, consultancy report no. Develop gender sensitive policies in the workplace and trade unions as well as gender sensitive trade union constitutions, programmes and. For example, in india, a number of unions belong to the all india trade union congress aituc. From the onset there is need to make a clear distinction between the involvement of trade unions in politics and their participation in partisan politics. Drawing on research on farmworkers in zimbabwe and engaging with literature concerning farm labour in the drastic changes to large. The congress of south african trade unions cosatu was launched on 1 december 1985, at the height of the struggle against apartheid. Meanwhile, the icftu caught up with zimbabwe congress of trade unions secretary general, wellington chibhebhe, to talk about the challenges for trade unions and for democracy in zimbabwe. Pdf what are the main challenges faced by trade unions. Pdf the rise and fall of trade unionism in zimbabwe, part i. The target of succeeding governments, political factions, employers, and economic policies, trade unions have faced these challenges armed with weak organizational structures and.
Advantages and disadvantages of trades unions trade unions are organisations representing the interests of workers. In the 1960s, trade unions in africa were very instrumental in the struggle for independence across the continent. This southern african country of 12 million people has been rocked by strike action throughout the1990s. Challenges facing trade unions in the modern society the. They are many trade unions or federations of trade unions. Important theories of trade unionism are as follows.
By recognizing the limits of the political system and shifting focus to economic strategies. Mainly, the challenges discussed here are related to. Dec 19, 2016 when it comes to the question of whether trade unions should be involved in politics, the answer is a resounding yes. Labour politics in zimbabwe is dirty and the zimbabwe congress of trade unions current leadership is undemocratic, selfish and controlling. Trade union struggles for autonomy and democracy in zimbabwe. Although instrumental in the formation in 1999 of the oppo. A number of them also belong to international trade union organisations such as the international confederation of free trade unions, which has more than 230 affiliated. Whether temporary or permanent, primarily for the purpose of regulating the relations between workers and employers or between workers for imposing restrictive conditions on the conduct of any trade or business and includes the federations of two or more trade unions. They may negotiate collective bargaining agreements as to any conditions of employment which are of. Congress of south african trade unions cosatu south. Zimbabwe zimbabwe congress of trade unions, zctu dans les.
Blanchflower dartmouth college, national bureau of economic research and centre for economic performance, lse revised. In the absence of strong collective bargaining systems, the wages and conditions of black labour, as distinct from those of the white labour aristocracy, were very poor. Raymond majongwe, secretary general of the progressive teachers union of. The target of succeeding governments, political factions, employers, and economic policies, trade unions have faced these challenges armed with weak.
Gertrude hambira, secretary general of the general agriculture and plantation. Therefore, in looking at the history of trade unions, although our main interest will be. Trade unions in zimbabwe and their types there are a number of trade unions that operate in zimbabwe. The present study analyses the issues and challenges of trade unions because of politicization and suggest measures to overcome these. In the case of zimbabwe, unions took the lead in creating an alternative alliance in opposition to a repressive state. Unions create democratic space in zimbabwe solidarity center.
The zimbabwe congress of trade unions is at the centre of emancipatory, grassroots activism in zimbabwe, providing potential for a democratic, antineoliberal future. Congress of trade unions amongst workers in zimbabwe has taken a plunge. Mar 07, 20 the labour movement was organisationally weak upon independence, and numerous wildcat strikes in 198081 were harshly crushed by the zimbabwe african national union government under robert mugabe saunders 2001. Trade unions in zimbabwe role, functions of workers union. Zambia zactu and zimbabwe zctu influenced the formation of political opposition parties. Trapped between an ongoing informalisation of the african economies on the one hand and the consequences of. The general secretary of zctu is wellington chibebe and the president is lovemore matombo. The reason why the trade unions were chosen as a focus of the research are numerous. However, the extent to which democratisation and economic reform has been achieved has been strongly conditioned, on the one hand, by the weaknesses and.
Trade unions in zimbabwe and their types free zimsec. Since the 1990s ngos and other funders have plied funds into trade unions. I wish to thank sam moyo and brian raftopoulos for their advice, as well as staff at the institute of development studies university of zimbabwe and at the zimbabwe congress of trade unions for their assistance. This article is the first of a twopart study on the evolution of the zimbabwe congress of trade unions zctu in the 1990s. An analysis of trade unions in zimbabwe by the united. The decline in trade union density in the 21stcentury in. The role and influence of trade unions in the oecd david g. A case of tanzania teachers union, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for award of the degree of master of science in accounting and finance m sc. In the first section, we will briefly discuss the history of trade unions, just to give the reader an idea of how it all started. Regulating the labour market is a question of power resources. However, the trade unions in the sadc region are not homogenous and vary greatly in terms of organisational. The unions have already become a part of the several tendencies toward a political realignment that are now apparent on every hand. History of labor in zimbabwe before and after independence part one.