LABOR STRIKES LOMING

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000628 SIPDIS SIPDIS AF/S FOR B NEULING NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR C. COURVLLE AFR/SA FOR E. LOKEN COMMERCE FOR BECKY ERKL E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/31/2011 TAGS: ELAB PGO PHUM ECON ASEC ZI SUBJECT: LABOR STRIKES LOMING Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i., Erc T. Schultz under Section 1 .4 b/d -------------- Summary -------------- ¶1. C) General Agriculture and Plantation Workers Unio of Zimbabwe (GAPWUZ) General Secretary GertrudeHambira told econoff on May 24 that within two weks the union would likely announce a strike by aricultural workers over wages. Zimbabwe Congressof Trade Unions (ZCTU) Secretary General Wellingon Chibebe said ZCTU would support GAPWUZ but not play a leading role and would defer a decision onadditional strikes pending further negotiations oer wages with employers and the GOZ in the Tripatite Negotiating Forum. The Harare Municipal Worers Union, a civil servant association unaffiliaed with ZCTU, has announced its intention to strke beginning June 5 over wages. End Summary. -------------- Farm Worker Mobilizing for June Strike -------------- ¶2. (C) Genera Secretary Gertrude Hambira told econoff May 24 that GAPWUZ intended within two weeks to call for a strike of agricultural workers over wages. Current minimum monthly wages for general agricultural, horticultural and timber workers are Z$1.3M (US$13 at the official exchange rate; US$3.1 at the parallel rate),Z$2.2M and Z$2.8M, respectively. The union was seeking increases to Z$10, Z$15 and Z$15, respectively. ¶3. (C) Hambira said she was coordinating with local NGOs and international labor contacts, especially in the UK, to raise the prospective strike's profile. She added that she was seeking funding from local donor organizations to transport workers to participate in demonstrations in the capital. ¶4. (C) Hambira reported that GAPWUZ had received a letter from the Agriculture Labor Bureau, an independent association of agricultural employers from the Commercial Farmers, Union, the Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers, Union of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Farmers, Union, threatening to seek the union's deregistration if it did not retract its call for a strike. She said that the threat would not dissuade the union, which under Zimbabwean law had the right to strike once it had notified employers of its intent to strike. She advised that the Ministry may step in to mediate between workers and employers once the union filed its notification. -------------- -------------- ZCTU to Support GAPWUZ, Consider Additional Strikes -------------- -------------- ¶5. (C) According to a Japanese diplomat, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) Secretary General Wellington Chibebe told him on May 23 that ZCTU would help coordinate the GAPWUZ strike but would not play a leading role. The diplomat added that Chibebe had confirmed press reports that ZCTU would defer decisions on whether to pursue broader wage-related strikes until at least June 16, the date of the overarching union's next General Council meeting. Chibebe had added that such decisions would hinge on progress in the Tripartite Negotiating Forum between labor, employers and the GOZ. He noted further that ZCTU actions would not be coordinated with the opposition MDC.