News / National
MDC-T accused of hijacking worker's cause
20 Jan 2014 at 14:06hrs | Views
The MDC-T has been accused of trying to dilute workers' bread and butter issues and revive waning political fortunes by forging an alliance with the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU).
Raymond Majongwe, secretary-general of the Concerned Affiliates of ZCTU, told The Zimbabwe Mail Sunday that the MDC-T should stay away from labour matters as the party had ignored the workers' plight while it was in the now defunct inclusive government.
Concerned Affiliates of ZCTU comprises of 14 unions that broke away from the mainstream ZCTU following the disputed 2011 congress.
Majongwe's accusations come in the wake of reports that MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai met the ZCTU leadership last week to discuss how to deal with the economic crisis in the country.
"May we take this opportunity to warn the ZCTU that collective identity with the MDC-T would lead to a collective tragedy and taking political sides would not help workers' cause," said Majongwe.
He accused the MDC-T of seeking to prop up its support by courting the ZCTU at a time when the labour body had more pressing issues to deal with.
He said the Concerned ZCTU Affiliates would never take heed even if the MDC-T approached them to forge an alliance.
"Workers must learn that aligning with political parties is suicidal…what is needed now is for them to unite and confront both Zanu PF and MDC-T policies head on," Majongwe said. "What the MDC-T needs to be told is that even if they try to engage us, we will decline.
While in the inclusive government, the MDC-T created barriers around themselves and they were not accessible. The time to talk to them is gone and the issue at hand is to engage the present government.
"We have serious labour issues that await us rather than engaging in fatal political connections like our comrades from the other side (ZCTU) are doing by engaging the MDC-T. Labour issues must not be compromised, they must remain apolitical."
MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora said his party had every right to engage workers as it was born out of the labour movement.
"The MDC-T is a product of the labour movement and it identifies with the suffering of the working masses," said Mwonzora.
"It was formed to eradicate the poverty and misery of workers and what we are doing is not political opportunism. During the inclusive government, workers' wages improved and money not only came on time, but was available in banks. Those who seek to denigrate us are simply pathetically mimicking the propaganda of Zanu PF."
Assistant secretary-general of the ZCTU Gideon Shoko denied that the labour body was forging an alliance with the MDC-T.
"What happened is that the MDC-T asked us to have a meeting with them, which we could not refuse as they are a political party. They discussed with us several issues, with the main one being how the election was stolen," Shoko said."We can never join hands with them as we pursue two different agendas.
"Their agenda is to seek political power, while ours is to addressthe plight of workers.
Majongwe's comments are just unfortunate for he does not know what he is talking about."
Raymond Majongwe, secretary-general of the Concerned Affiliates of ZCTU, told The Zimbabwe Mail Sunday that the MDC-T should stay away from labour matters as the party had ignored the workers' plight while it was in the now defunct inclusive government.
Concerned Affiliates of ZCTU comprises of 14 unions that broke away from the mainstream ZCTU following the disputed 2011 congress.
Majongwe's accusations come in the wake of reports that MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai met the ZCTU leadership last week to discuss how to deal with the economic crisis in the country.
"May we take this opportunity to warn the ZCTU that collective identity with the MDC-T would lead to a collective tragedy and taking political sides would not help workers' cause," said Majongwe.
He accused the MDC-T of seeking to prop up its support by courting the ZCTU at a time when the labour body had more pressing issues to deal with.
He said the Concerned ZCTU Affiliates would never take heed even if the MDC-T approached them to forge an alliance.
"Workers must learn that aligning with political parties is suicidal…what is needed now is for them to unite and confront both Zanu PF and MDC-T policies head on," Majongwe said. "What the MDC-T needs to be told is that even if they try to engage us, we will decline.
While in the inclusive government, the MDC-T created barriers around themselves and they were not accessible. The time to talk to them is gone and the issue at hand is to engage the present government.
"We have serious labour issues that await us rather than engaging in fatal political connections like our comrades from the other side (ZCTU) are doing by engaging the MDC-T. Labour issues must not be compromised, they must remain apolitical."
MDC-T spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora said his party had every right to engage workers as it was born out of the labour movement.
"The MDC-T is a product of the labour movement and it identifies with the suffering of the working masses," said Mwonzora.
"It was formed to eradicate the poverty and misery of workers and what we are doing is not political opportunism. During the inclusive government, workers' wages improved and money not only came on time, but was available in banks. Those who seek to denigrate us are simply pathetically mimicking the propaganda of Zanu PF."
Assistant secretary-general of the ZCTU Gideon Shoko denied that the labour body was forging an alliance with the MDC-T.
"What happened is that the MDC-T asked us to have a meeting with them, which we could not refuse as they are a political party. They discussed with us several issues, with the main one being how the election was stolen," Shoko said."We can never join hands with them as we pursue two different agendas.
"Their agenda is to seek political power, while ours is to addressthe plight of workers.
Majongwe's comments are just unfortunate for he does not know what he is talking about."
Source - zimmail
