Cosatu condemns latest atrocities in Zimbabwe 16-03-07

 

UTTERANCES BY THE SO-CALLED DISGRUNTLED UNIONS

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions is surprised by the utterances of the so-called 'disgruntled' individuals within the "Zimbabwe Construction and Allied Trade Workers' Union" and the "Associated Mineworkers' Union of Zimbabwe", "Commercial Workers' Union of Zimbabwe", "Zimbabwe Leather, Shoe and Allied Workers' Union" and "Transport and General Workers' Union."

They are peddling the same tired story that the current leadership of the ZCTU, President Lovemore Matombo, first vice president Lucia Matibenga and Secretary General Wellington Chibebe used unconstitutional means to 'hang on to power.' All the procedures of the Congress in May last year, to which the misguided individuals were part to, were done above board.

We understand that this so-called concerned group and some of their cronies met on March 14 2007 at St Andrews House in Harare to strategize on how to frustrate labour efforts at the Tripartite Negotiating Forum and portray the ZCTU in bad image. We are surprised that the Herald quotes Nicholas Mazarura's letter yet he and the Construction Workers' Union are closely working with the ZCTU.

This is a display of double standards to say the least. They accuse the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare of not acting on the investigators' report. Why now? Is it because the ZCTU has called for a stay away or is it because they are angry that ZCTU is prepared to engage other parties at the TNF.

The ZCTU will not be diverted from business at hand that is, fighting for the workers of Zimbabwe to earn a living wage. Despite clear plans by these unruly elements to create conflict where there is none, we stand guided by the outcome of the ZCTU May 2006 congress, which congress was of international standards.

16 March 2007

Wellington Chibebe

SECRETARY GENERAL

Khumbulani Ndlovu
Information Officer
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions
P.O Box 3549
Harare, Zimbabwe

Telephone 263-4-794702/794742
Fax 263-4- 728484
E-mail i...@zctu.co.zw
Website www.zctu.co.zw