US embassy cable - 03HARARE1698

UNCLAS HARARE 001698 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/S, DRL 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JFRAZER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB, ECON, PGOV, ZI 
SUBJECT: LABOR RESPONSE AWAITS CONSENSUS 
 
REF: HARARE 1621 
 
1. (SBU)  Summary.  Since the deadline has passed on the 
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions' (ZCTU) July 29 ultimatum 
to the GOZ demanding resolution of the cash crisis (reftel), 
no threatened "unspecified action" has materialized.  It now 
appears that a ZCTU National Council meeting will not take 
place until August 30.  Given that the Congress of South 
African Trade Unions (COSATU) holds its annual congress 
beginning September 12, this may delay retaliatory action 
until late September.  End summary. 
 
2. (SBU)  After the ZCTU's demand that the GOZ resolve the 
ongoing cash crisis, speculation about the threatened 
stayaway has filled the press.  However, labor sources report 
that much of the senior leadership has been out of the 
country rallying international support for ZCTU's position. 
The Secretary-General has been in Australia, consulting with 
colleagues; the Vice-President and Assistant 
Secretary-General have been consulting with associates in 
 
SIPDIS 
South Africa.  Lovemore Matombo, the President of the ZCTU, 
reports that the ZCTU has received a groundswell of support 
from its international labor colleagues.  However, while he 
does not commit to action by a certain date, he hopes to 
translate these assurances into tangible support for the 
ZCTU's next action. 
 
3. (SBU)  A National Council meeting is expected on August 
30, when all of the leaders will have returned to Zimbabwe. 
Although Matombo previously stated that mass action could be 
commenced within five days of that meeting, COSATU's national 
congress in mid-September might slow things down 
considerably.  As stated reftel, ZCTU remains aware that yet 
another stayaway, without some new pressure, will probably 
fail to bring any resolution.  If the ZCTU plans to call on 
COSATU to support a stayaway by joining in an effort to close 
the border, it may have to wait until its South African 
counterpart is not otherwise occupied. 
 
4. (SBU)  Comment.  No concrete plans for another mass action 
have yet been revealed.  There is no end in sight to the 
ongoing cash crisis, and the situation continues to 
deteriorate for the rank-and-file workers.  The ZCTU has 
somewhat painted itself into a corner, promising a response 
when it was fairly apparent that the GOZ lacks the will to 
resolve the cash crisis.  If, as suspected, the ZCTU plans to 
call on COSATU in a joint response, that call could be 
delayed until late September.  End comment. 
 
 
SULLIVAN