CMNT_TITLE

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government on the system in place for the conduct of consultations between public authorities and employers’ and workers’ organizations including through the Tripartite Negotiating Forum and the Wages and Salary Advisory Board at national level. In its previous comments, the Committee, taking note of observations made by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) and the Government’s reply, formulated comments in relation to the need for adequate consultation with the social partners and the need to ensure the organization and coordination of an effective system of labour administration, including accessible and well-functioning labour courts.

The Committee notes that as a follow-up to the recommendations of the Commission of Inquiry appointed under article 26 of the ILO Constitution to examine the observance by the Government of Zimbabwe of the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), and the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98), the Government and the social partners have agreed on an “ILO Technical assistance package for Zimbabwe” which is likely to have a direct impact on the labour administration system and the application of the present Convention by providing for: preparations for a Bill to legislate the tripartite negotiating forum (TNF); capacity building on trade union issues for government officials at the provincial level; strengthening the judiciary, labour officers, conciliators and arbitrators; strengthening the interface between social partners and human rights structures; and strengthening employment policy.

The Committee requests the Government to indicate the impact of the measures taken or envisaged in the framework of the technical assistance package on the organization of an effective and properly coordinated system of labour administration under the control of a central authority. In particular, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would send detailed information on the following:

–      the measures taken or activities carried out in order to encourage, at national, regional and local levels, effective consultation and cooperation between public authorities and bodies, and employers’ and workers’ organizations; please also indicate the activities carried out by the Tripartite Negotiating Forum and the Wages and Salary Advisory Board during the reporting period;

–      measures taken or envisaged to ensure the organization, effective operation and coordination of the system of labour administration, including access to well-functioning labour courts;

–      any plans to extend the functions of the system of labour administration to any of the categories of workers listed in Article 7(a)–(d), including members of cooperatives;

–      extracts of any reports or any periodic information provided by the principal labour administration services (Part IV of the report form).