ZCTU irked by Matombo faction' being referred to as ZCTU

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has expressed its concerns over  the Lovemore Matombo's splinter group being referred to as the ZCTU saying its worries are because the High Court  long ago ruled that the faction should stop purporting to be ZCTU.

In a statement ZCTU Secretary General Japhet Moyo said there is only one ZCTU in Zimbabwe.

"THE Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) is taken aback by the continuous reference in the Press to "two factions of the ZCTU" despite a High Court's decision barring a group led by the former ZCTU President Lovemore Matombo from using the ZCTU name," said Moyo.

"Media reports indicate that this group held their Workers' Day Commemorations using the name ZCTU in contempt of court. The group has no link whatsoever with the ZCTU since they were de-affiliated in 2012 and should stop masquerading as part of ZCTU."

Moyo said the group is just of  individuals trying to get relevance and pulling unsavoury publicity stunts by masquerading as ZCTU.

"The ZCTU General Council meeting of 15 November 2011 held at Management Training Bureau in Msasa, Harare unanimously resolved to terminate membership of eight affiliates following the affiliates' continued vilification of the ZCTU in terms of the ZCTU Constitution section 8.1.3." he said.

He said the unions, led by Lovemore Matombo, started calling themselves "Concerned Affiliates of the ZCTU which  are Zimbabwe Energy Workers' Union
• Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe, Civil Service Employees Association, Communications and Allied Services Workers' Union of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Leather, Shoe & Allied Workers' Union, Zimbabwe Graphical Workers' Union,
• Zimbabwe Rural District Council Workers' Union and  National Airways Workers' Union.

"For the record, on 16 December 2011 the High Court granted the following interdictions against this group and Lovemore Matombo. They were Interdicted from representing or purporting to represent the ZCTU, Interdicted from using the ZCTU logos, letterheads, business cards, materials, bank accounts and assets,
Interdicted from holding conferences, workshops and meetings on behalf of the ZCTU, Interdicted from calling for or holding a General Conference of the ZCTU or in the name of the ZCTU and In the event of holding such a conference, it is hereby declared to be null and void," said Moyo.

"The ZCTU hopes that this statement will settle the matter once and for all otherwise any misrepresentation by Lovemore Matombo and his group will force the ZCTU to file contempt of court charges against them."