Employers targets union members for dismissals

Employers have taken advantage of the recent Supreme Court judgment which gave them the right to fire employees on three months' notice to purge active union members and leaders in order paralyse labour activism at workplaces.

The Zuva petroleum case has triggered a holocaust on trade unionists perceived to have been bothersome by employers. Notable dismissals have been those of Godfrey Mtimba the Zimbabwe Congress of trade unions National Young Workers Council Secretary General by the Associated Newspapers, the publishers of the Daily News.

Other unionists who have also been dismissed are branch officials and ZCTU elected regional office bearers.

The ZCTU has condemned the terminations as senseless and meant to cripple the unionism as the country is forcing down labour market flexibility on workers.

The ZCTU Secretary General, Japhet Moyo said labour condemns anti-union employers who ride on dubious rulings to victimise enlightened workers with the mettle to defend themselves from workplace oppression.

"Employers with such a mentality are a threat to the development of the nation and the general population as they seek to brutally maximise their profits without regard to the welfare of their workers. The ZCTU views such dismissals as victimisation and will take up the matter with the International Labour Organisation as the dismissals are against public policy and international labour law," he said.

The judgment has resulted in thousands of workers being laid off without benefits.