Government must not interfere in labour matters

The Zimbabwe Campaign For Good Governance calls on the government not to intervene and interfere with the management right to manage enterprises. On Friday the 2nd of February 2018, the government through Minister of Home Affairs Dr Obert Mpofu intervened in a labour dispute at Hwange Colliery. That is not the role of government later alone the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Although the government is the major Shareholder in Hwange Colliery, it has an interest role only. The Company is run by a management team under the oversight of a fully constituted Board. All Labour disputes should be resolved in terms of the Labour Act Chapter 28.01. The Act has a dispute settlement procedure that should be followed. Government intervention in labour matters is setting a wrong precedent as well as sending a bad message to potential investors.

We should not go back to the 1980 culture of excessive government interference in labour matters. All worker grievances should be left in the hands of management, trade unions, NECs and workers committees and not politicians.

The government must lead by example in promoting good governance in both public and private affairs.

INFORMATION - ZCGG