By Brenna Matendere
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has accused Zimbabwe of violating the rights of workers following a brutal army crackdown that followed the January protests against a steep increase in the price of fuel.
Several trade union leaders have been arrested since then and charged for allegedly plotting to topple President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The ILO has demanded that the government accepts its team of enquiry to assess the current situation following reports of a crackdown against trade unionists in Zimbabwe.
The measures are contained in a draft 38-page dossier of the ILO committee of complaints released at the just ended conference in Geneva. The 108th session of the ILO ran from June 10 to 21.
The document in possession of this publication outlined conclusions on country cases it was handling and has recommendations for other countries that are infamous for abuse of workers. These include Iraq, Turkey, Nicaragua, Uruguay, Libya and Ethiopia.
ILO’s rebuke coincided with the arrest of Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe president Obert Masaraure on Friday.
Zimbabwe was placed on the ILO agenda after the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) wrote to the body raising a red flag on abuse of worker rights.
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Through its secretary-general Japhet Moyo, the ZCTU highlighted issues such as the January army killings and arrests of several trade unionists.
“The committee noted concern regarding government’s failure to implement specific elements of the recommendations of the 2009 Commission of Inquiry.
“The committee noted persisting failure issues of compliance with the convention including allegations of violations of the rights of the freedom of assembly of workers’ organisations,” reads part of the dossier.
“Taking into account the discussion, the committee called upon the government to: refrain from the arrest, detention, or harassment of trade union members conducting lawful trade union activities… ensure that the allegations of violence against trade union members are investigated, and where appropriate, impose dissuasive sanctions.”
However, Labour and SocialWelfare minister Sekai Nzenza who attended the Geneva conference said Zimbabwe would not allow the ILO to send investigators to Zimbabwe because the government believed it was making good progress in its efforts to introduce a number of reforms.
