From: The Secretary General
At: No. 1 Kwame Nkrumah
To: National Executive Members
At: Various National Council Members
All Branches
All Members
Date: 27 May 2020
RE: ALLEGATIONS OF INEFFECTIVENESS OF THE UNION
It has come to our attention that allegations casting negative aspersion on the effectiveness of the Union has been circulating on social media. More particularly it has been alleged that:
We shall address these issues in this order:
Ad Item 1
It is not correct that ZTEA is dead and buried. ZTEA rebranded to NEWUZ in 2012 in order to broaden the eligibility to membership. At the time of rebranding more than 50% of its membership were not artisans and technicians as every worker has a right to join a Union of his/her choice. The rebranding therefore codified the defacto position. The Union’s objectives, values and belief system remained intact.
The rebranding therefore allowed the Union to leverage on its diversity to become a potent working class movement delivering far reaching benefits to its members.
NEWUZ like ZTEA remains driven by the interests of its members.
Ad Item 2
This is denied
Artisans and technicians in NEWUZ continue to get the best of representation and the Union continues with its policy of fair representation of all its members at the collective and individual level.
At the collective level, NEWUZ has fought for and won:
a)Equality in working hours. Historically artisans and technicians worked for longer hours than other employees for the same pay.
b)The Union has fought for and won switching allowances of up to 15% of basic pay for artisans and technicians.
c) It has fought for tools allowance of 10% of basic pay and an increase in standby allowances to mention but a few.
At the individual level NEWUZ has consistently kept its promise by tackling all individual cases including disciplinary hearings.
It has also introduced legal aid for its members on directly and indirectly work related issues with resounding success.
Of great significance was the Union’s role of increasing the artisans salary from usd400 in 2009 to well above usd1000 by 2012 through shrewed collective bargaining negotiations and strategic litigation.
Ad Item 3
This approach is manifestly unviable. Artisans and technicians in the industry number no more than 600. A Union specifically representing this category of workers lacks the critical mass to persuade employers to address the concerns of these workers. The employer would also foment and leverage on intra class conflict to the detriment of working class interests.
It is however imperative that we quickly interrogate the possible under lying issues to these sentiments. There could be a genuine belief by some members that their issues are not getting proper attention. Such members could have missed the understanding of the macro-economic situation obtaining in Zimbabwe since the re-introduction of the Zimbabwe dollar.
Inflation has galloped and sits at more than 1000% right now. The Z$ has devalued against the US$ with the parallel market exchange rate which is the effective rate around 1:70Z$ and prices increasing in sympathy with the exchange rate. As we speak an employee at the apex D2 now earns less than usd200 a month down from usd5000before Z$ reintroduction. The financial challenges faced by workers must therefore be viewed in that context.
The attempt by all Unions to have 2020 CBN to deal with these economic challenges are hitting a brick wall as employers intransigency and callousness intensifies to unprecedented levels. Employers maybe using divide and rule tactics in order to weaken the Trade Union movement in face of these glaring economic challenges.
Lastly, NEWUZ will hold its 5th Congress in December 2020. Efforts by some detractors to undermine our democratic process may not be ruled out. NEWUZ will continue to discharge its mandate with vigour and zeal and together with its membership shall overcome.
Please revert to the undersigned for any clarification.
Regards
________________
T Masvingwe
Secretary General