US embassy cable - 01HARARE1096

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 HARARE 001096 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DRL/IL FOR KBRYANT 
NSC FOR JFRAZER 
ILAB FOR RSHEPHARD 
LONDON FOR CGURNEY 
PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER, AFR/SA - CPALMA, 
NNEWMAN, AA/AFR - VDICKSON-HORTON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL 03/22/11 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  01096  01 OF 03  221147Z 
TAGS: ELAB, PGOV, PHUM, PINR, ZI 
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE'S NEW LABOR LEADERS PURSUE TRADITIONAL 
LABOR CONCERNS WHILE CONTINUING SUPPORT OF THE MDC 
 
REFTEL: HARARE 1054 
 
CLASSIFIED BY CHARGE D' AFFAIRES EARL M. IRVING FOR 
REASONS 1.5 (B/D). 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1. (C) ON MARCH 21, LABOFF MET WITH THE NEW SECRETARY- 
GENERAL OF THE ZIMBABWE CONGRESS OF TRADE UNIONS (ZCTU), 
WELLINGTON CHIBHEBHE, AND THE NEW PRESIDENT, LOVEMORE 
MATOMBO, BOTH EXPERIENCED AND ARTICULATE LABOR 
ORGANIZERS, WHO INDICATED THAT THEY INTEND TO 
AGGRESSIVELY ENGAGE THE GOVERNMENT OF ZIMBABWE (GOZ) ON 
A RANGE OF TRADITIONAL LABOR ISSUES.  THESE NEW LABOR 
LEADERS WOULD LIKE TO SEE PASSAGE OF A HARMONIZED LABOR 
BILL ACCEPTABLE TO LABOR, ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NECESSARY 
CONDITIONS FOR LABOR TO CONSIDER ENTERING A SOCIAL 
CONTRACT WITH GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS, LABOR INPUT IN 
THE PRIVATIZATION OF PARASTATALS, AND GOZ FUNDING FOR 
ZCTU WORKPLACE HIV/AIDS EDUCATION PROGRAMS.  CHIBHEBHE 
AND MATOMBO BOTH SAID THAT THERE WAS NO TRUTH TO A 
RECENT NEWSPAPER ARTICLE THAT STATED NEW ELECTIONS FOR 
THE LABOR LEADERSHIP WOULD BE REQUIRED (REFTEL), 
CLAIMING IT WAS PART OF THE GOZ/ZANU-PF'S ONGOING 
ATTEMPTS TO GAIN CONTROL OVER THE LABOR MOVEMENT. 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  01096  01 OF 03  221147Z 
ALTHOUGH BOTH MEN REPEATED THEIR PUBLIC PROCLAMATIONS 
THAT THE ZCTU IS AN INDEPENDENT ORGANIZATION, THEY 
ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE ZCTU MEMBERSHIP STRONGLY SUPPORTS 
THE MDC AND THE ORGANIZATION WILL HAVE A KEY ROLE TO 
PLAY IN THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
---------------------------------- 
LOBBYING FOR PRO-LABOR LEGISLATION 
---------------------------------- 
 
2. (C) MATOMBO SPOKE EXTENSIVELY ON THE HARMONIZED LABOR 
BILL THAT IS CURRENTLY BEING CONSIDERED BY PARLIAMENT. 
THIS BILL HAS BEEN GATHERING DUST FOR THE LAST NINE 
YEARS, AFTER BEING DRAFTED WITH THE INPUT OF THE 
INTERNATIONAL LABOR ORGANIZATION (ILO).  ACCORDING TO 
MATOMBO, THE GOZ HAS MADE SUCH SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO 
THE LABOR BILL, AS IT DID WITH THE 1999 DRAFT ZIMBABWE 
CONSTITUTION, THAT THE ZCTU OPPOSES IT IN ITS CURRENT 
FORM.  HE INDICATED THAT THE MINISTRY OF LABOR, UNDER 
THE EXISTING BILL, WOULD HAVE POWERS TO DECERTIFY 
UNIONS, A FACT THAT WOULD IN EFFECT MAKE THE UNIONS 
SUBSERVIENT TO THE GOZ.  RATHER THAN TREATING ALL 
WORKERS EQUALLY, WHICH THE ZCTU STRONGLY WANTS IN A 
HARMONIZED LABOR LAW, THE BILL WOULD CONTINUE TO TREAT 
CIVIL SERVANTS DIFFERENTLY FROM OTHER UNIONIZED WORKERS. 
PARASTATAL WORKERS WOULD BE DEEMED ESSENTIAL, AND 
THEREFORE PROHIBITED FROM ENGAGING IN INDUSTRIAL 
ACTIONS.  THE ZCTU IS ACTIVELY OPPOSING THE GOZ EFFORT 
TO "FAST-TRACK" THIS BILL THROUGH PARLIAMENT BY 
INTENSIVELY LOBBYING MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT FROM BOTH THE 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  01096  01 OF 03  221147Z 
ZANU-PF AND MDC PARTIES.  MATOMBO WAS NOT SURE WHETHER 
LABOR WILL SUCCEED IN THIS EFFORT GIVEN THE ZANU-PF 
MAJORITY IN PARLIAMENT. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
CONDITIONS NOT RIGHT FOR A SOCIAL CONTRACT 
------------------------------------------ 
 
3. (C) CHIBHEBHE SPOKE AT LENGTH ABOUT WHY THE ZCTU 
CANNOT AT THIS TIME ENTER INTO NEGOTIATIONS FOR A SOCIAL 
CONTRACT WITH THE GOZ AND BUSINESS.  ONE LABOR 
PRECONDITION FOR SUCH TALKS IS AGREEMENT ON A BASIC 
MINIMUM WAGE FOR ALL WORKERS THAT IS ABOVE THE POVERTY 
DATUM LINE FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR.  THE GOZ HAS THUS FAR 
REFUSED TO AGREE TO THIS.  ANOTHER PRECONDITION IS THAT 
AGREEMENT ON AN ACCEPTABLE NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE BY 
LABOR SHOULD NOT PRECLUDE THE RIGHT OF UNIONS TO ENTER 
INTO INDUSTRIAL ACTIONS, WHICH IS WHAT THE GOZ WANTS. 
LASTLY CHIBHEBHE STATED THAT A RETURN TO THE RULE OF LAW 
IS A CRITICAL PRECONDITION, NOTING THAT LABOR IS 
EXTREMELY CONCERNED BY THE CURRENT LAWLESSNESS IN THE 
COUNTRY.  HE CONTINUED THAT AS A RESULT OF THE ZCTU ROLE 
IN FOUNDING THE OPPOSITION MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC 
CHANGE (MDC), THE GOZ AND ZANU-PF VIEW LABOR AS PART OF 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ2016 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  01096  02 OF 03  221148Z 
ACTION DRL-02 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AID-00   CIAE-00  COME-00  DODE-00  SRPP-00  EB-00 
      EUR-00   VC-00    H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    LAB-01 
      L-00     AC-01    NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01   OPM-01 
      PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    SS-00 
      STR-00   TRSE-00  T-00     USIE-00  PMB-00   PRM-01   G-00 
      SAS-00     /010W 
                  ------------------D59F6D  221148Z /22 
R 221052Z MAR 01 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8483 
INFO NSC WASHDC 
DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 03 HARARE 001096 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DRL/IL FOR KBRYANT 
NSC FOR JFRAZER 
ILAB FOR RSHEPHARD 
LONDON FOR CGURNEY 
PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER, AFR/SA - CPALMA, 
NNEWMAN, AA/AFR - VDICKSON-HORTON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL 03/22/11 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  01096  02 OF 03  221148Z 
TAGS: ELAB, PGOV, PHUM, PINR, ZI 
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE'S NEW LABOR LEADERS PURSUE TRADITIONAL 
LABOR CONCERNS WHILE CONTINUING SUPPORT OF THE MDC 
 
THE OPPOSITION.  CHIBHEBHE REVEALED THAT MOST RURAL 
AREAS ARE NOW "NO-GO" ZONES FOR UNION ORGANIZERS, WHO 
WILL BE ATTACKED BY MARAUDING BANDS OF "WAR VETS" IF 
THEY ARE DISCOVERED DOING UNION BUSINESS.  IN PRACTICE, 
THE BAN MEANS THAT MOST COMMERCIAL FARM WORKERS, MANY 
MINE WORKERS, AND CIVIL SERVANTS IN THE RURAL AREAS ARE 
BEING DEPRIVED OF THEIR RIGHT TO UNION REPRESENTATION, A 
TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE STATE OF AFFAIRS TO THE ZCTU 
LEADERSHIP. 
 
--------------------------------- 
PRIVATIZATION MUST BE TRANSPARENT 
--------------------------------- 
 
4. (C) MATOMBO THEN TURNED TO THE ZCTU POSITION ON 
PRIVATIZATION OF GOZ-OWNED PARASTATALS.  HE RECOGNIZED 
THAT PRIVATIZATION IS NECESSARY AND THAT GLOBALIZATION 
AND FOREIGN INVESTMENT ARE INEVITABLE TRENDS THAT WILL 
PLAY A ROLE IN THIS PROCESS.  HOWEVER, THE ZCTU IS 
OPPOSED TO THE WAY PRIVATIZATION IS CURRENTLY BEING 
HANDLED BY THE GOZ.  MATOMBO STATED THAT THE GOZ IS NOT 
CONSULTING WITH THE UNIONS THAT REPRESENT PARASTATAL 
WORKERS, AS IT SHOULD.  OF EQUAL CONCERN IS THE FACT 
THAT PRIVATIZATION IS CURRENTLY BEING CONDUCTED TO 
BENEFIT A CLIQUE OF POWERFUL PEOPLE CONNECTED TO ZANU- 
PF, HE CLAIMED.  THE "INDIGENIZATION PROCESS" ESPOUSED 
BY THE GOZ TO CREATE BLACK OWNERS OF PRIVATIZED 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  01096  02 OF 03  221148Z 
PARASTATALS, HE SAID, IS JUST A COVER FOR HANDING OVER 
THESE COMPANIES TO A FEW POWERFUL ZANU-PF SUPPORTERS. 
THE NEW ZCTU LEADERSHIP INTENDS TO ENGAGE THE GOZ ON 
THIS ISSUE AND WILL LOBBY FOR A TRANSPARENT 
PRIVATIZATION PROCESS IN WHICH LABOR WILL HAVE A ROLE IN 
THE PROCESS AND A STAKE IN THE PRIVATIZED PARASTATALS. 
 
-------------------------------- 
ADDRESSING THE HIV/AIDS EPIDEMIC 
-------------------------------- 
 
5. (C) CHIBHEBHE AND MATOMBO BOTH ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE 
HIV/AIDS EPIDEMIC IS A CRITICAL ISSUE THAT LABOR MUST 
ADDRESS.  THEY BOTH HAVE SEEN THE RAVAGES OF THE 
EPIDEMIC FIRSTHAND THROUGH THE DEATHS OF WORKERS. 
MATOMBO CRITICIZED THE GOZ, AND PRESIDENT MUGABE 
PERSONALLY, FOR NOT DOING MORE TO COMBAT THIS PROBLEM. 
LABOR'S POSITION IS THAT THE EPIDEMIC SHOULD BE DECLARED 
A NATIONAL CATASTROPHE AND THERE SHOULD BE AN URGENT 
CAMPAIGN INITIATED BY THE GOZ TO ADDRESS IT ON MULTIPLE 
FRONTS.  THE ZCTU HAS AN OFFICE DEDICATED TO HIV/AIDS 
EDUCATION OF ITS MEMBERSHIP, BUT IS HAMPERED BY LIMITED 
RESOURCES.  CHIBHEBHE STATED THAT THE ZCTU IS GOING TO 
REQUEST THAT THE GOZ PROVIDE SOME OF THE MONEY 
CONTROLLED BY THE NATIONAL AIDS COUNCIL, RAISED THROUGH 
AN AIDS TAX ON WORKERS' SALARIES, TO THE ZCTU SO THAT IT 
CAN EXPAND ITS EFFORTS AGAINST THE EPIDEMIC.  MATOMBO 
ADDED THAT LABOR RECOGNIZES THAT UNIONS CAN PLAY A VITAL 
ROLE IN HIV/AIDS EDUCATION BECAUSE ITS ORGANIZATION IS 
DISPERSED BROADLY THROUGHOUT SOCIETY. 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  01096  02 OF 03  221148Z 
-------------------- 
SCHISMS IN THE ZCTU? 
-------------------- 
 
6. (C) MATOMBO AND CHIBHEBHE DENIED THAT THERE ARE 
DIVISIONS WITHIN THE LABOR FEDERATION.  THEY 
SPECIFICALLY REFERRED TO A RECENT ARTICLE IN THE GOZ- 
CONTROLLED "THE SUNDAY MAIL" AS A ZANU-PF PROPAGANDA 
THAT WAS FULL OF LIES (REFTEL).  CHIBHEBHE ADDED THAT 
THE GOZ/ZANU-PF ARE STILL SMARTING FROM THEIR CANDIDATES 
BEING SHUT OUT IN THE ELECTIONS FOR THE NEW ZCTU 
EXECUTIVE COUNCIL.  THEY ACCUSED THE FORMER ACTING ZCTU 
SECRETARY-GENERAL (AND ZANU-PF CANDIDATE FOR SECRETARY- 
 
SIPDIS 
GENERAL AT THE LAST CONGRESS), ISIDORE ZINDOGA, OF 
LEADING THE EFFORT TO DISCREDIT THE NEW LEADERSHIP. 
MATOMBO REVEALED THAT AT THE FIRST FULL ZCTU GENERAL 
COUNCIL MEETING ON MARCH 17, THERE WAS NOT A DISSENTING 
VOICE AGAINST THE NEWLY ELECTED LEADERSHIP.  HE ALSO 
POINTED OUT THAT THE VERY PEOPLE (ZINDOGA AND COMPANY) 
WHO ARE NOW SAYING THAT THE CONGRESS WAS TAINTED WERE 
THE ONES WHO ORGANIZED IT. 
 
--------------------------------- 
ZCTU: INDEPENDENT BUT NOT NEUTRAL 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
                           CONFIDENTIAL     PTQ2017 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  01096  03 OF 03  221148Z 
ACTION DRL-02 
 
INFO  LOG-00   AID-00   CIAE-00  COME-00  DODE-00  SRPP-00  EB-00 
      EUR-00   VC-00    H-01     TEDE-00  INR-00   IO-00    LAB-01 
      L-00     AC-01    NSAE-00  NSCE-00  OIC-02   OMB-01   OPM-01 
      PA-00    PM-00    PRS-00   ACE-00   P-00     SP-00    SS-00 
      STR-00   TRSE-00  T-00     USIE-00  PMB-00   PRM-01   G-00 
      SAS-00     /010W 
                  ------------------D59F75  221148Z /22 
R 221052Z MAR 01 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8484 
INFO NSC WASHDC 
DEPT OF LABOR WASHDC 
SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY 
AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 
 
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 03 OF 03 HARARE 001096 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DRL/IL FOR KBRYANT 
NSC FOR JFRAZER 
ILAB FOR RSHEPHARD 
LONDON FOR CGURNEY 
PARIS FOR BWILLIAMS 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
PASS USAID FOR AFR/SD - DWELLER, AFR/SA - CPALMA, 
NNEWMAN, AA/AFR - VDICKSON-HORTON 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL 03/22/11 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  01096  03 OF 03  221148Z 
TAGS: ELAB, PGOV, PHUM, PINR, ZI 
SUBJECT: ZIMBABWE'S NEW LABOR LEADERS PURSUE TRADITIONAL 
LABOR CONCERNS WHILE CONTINUING SUPPORT OF THE MDC 
 
--------------------------------- 
 
7. (C) CHIBHEBHE AND MATOMBO BOTH REPEATED THEIR PUBLIC 
PROCLAMATIONS THAT THE ZCTU IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH ANY 
POLITICAL PARTY AND WILL FOLLOW ITS OWN INDEPENDENT NON- 
PARTISAN APPROACH IN PURSUING WORKERS' INTERESTS. 
LABOFF ASKED HOW THIS POSITION MESHED WITH THE ZCTU'S 
CREATION OF THE MDC.  CHIBHEBHE RESPONDED THAT THE ZCTU 
HAD TO TAKE THIS POSITION, BECAUSE IF THE MDC WERE TO 
FORM THE NEXT GOVERNMENT, THIS INDEPENDENCE WOULD ALLOW 
LABOR TO CONTINUE TO AGGRESSIVELY PURSUE WORKER 
INTERESTS.  HOWEVER, MATOMBO QUICKLY ADDED THAT IT WAS 
NO SECRET THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF WORKERS SUPPORT THE 
MDC, AND WILL VOTE FOR ITS PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE IN THE 
NEXT ELECTION.  HE SAID THAT ZANU-PF'S CURRENT URBAN 
CAMPAIGN OF "GOING INTO THE TOWNSHIPS AND BEATING UP 
WORKERS" IS ONLY HARDENING THE SUPPORT FOR THE MDC AMONG 
WORKERS. 
 
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COMMENT 
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8. (C) THE NEW SECRETARY-GENERAL AND PRESIDENT OF THE 
ZCTU COME ACROSS AS HIGHLY ARTICULATE LEADERS.  THEIR 
ABILITIES WILL CLEARLY SERVE THEM WELL IN FURTHERING THE 
INTERESTS OF THE ZCTU MEMBERSHIP AT A TIME OF ECONOMIC 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  01096  03 OF 03  221148Z 
COLLAPSE AND POLITICAL CONFRONTATION.  CHIBHEBHE AND 
MATOMBO BARELY CONCEALED THE FACT THAT THEY ARE STRONGLY 
PRO-MDC.  IGNORING THEIR OWN PROTESTATIONS OF THE 
APOLITICAL NATURE OF THE ZCTU, THEY FREELY ACKNOWLEDGED 
THAT THE FEBRUARY ZCTU CONGRESS RESULTED IN THE ELECTION 
OF A PRO-MDC ZCTU EXECUTIVE.  THEIR COMMENTS REGARDING 
THE COST TO LABOR OF THE GOZ'S MISMANAGEMENT OF THE 
ECONOMY (JUST ONE EXAMPLE BEING THAT AN ESTIMATED 20 
PERCENT OF UNION WORKERS HAVE LOST THEIR JOBS IN THE 
LAST 12 MONTHS), COMBINED WITH THE ZANU-PF CAMPAIGN OF 
REPRESSION DIRECTED AT UNION ORGANIZERS AND WORKERS, 
CLEARLY PUTS THE ZCTU IN OPPOSITION TO PRESIDENT MUGABE. 
WE BELIEVE THE NEW ZCTU EXECUTIVE WILL USE THE LABOR 
MOVEMENTS' ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES TO HELP DELIVER THE 
VOTE FOR THE MDC CANDIDATE IN THE UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL 
ELECTIONS.  END COMMENT. 
 
IRVING 
 
                       CONFIDENTIAL 
 
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