US embassy cable - 04HARARE718

UNCLAS HARARE 000718 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR AF/S 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JFRAZER 
USDOC FOR AMANDA HILLIGAS 
PASS USTR FLORIZELLE LISER 
STATE PASS USAID FOR MARJORIE COPSON 
USDOL FOR ROBERT YOUNG 
 
E. O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB, PHUM, ETRD, ECON, EINV, PGOV, ZI, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), Labor 
SUBJECT: Laboring for Worker's Rights 
 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: Leaders of the Zimbabwe Congress of 
Trade Unions (ZCTU) informed EconOff that stayaways and 
demonstrations remain their primary campaign weapon. 
Meanwhile, ruling party supporters continue to harass 
labor leaders in attempts to disrupt May Day festivities. 
End summary. 
 
2. (SBU) As the main voice for the Zimbabwe labor 
movement (claiming 300,000 members), the ZCTU views 
stayaways and demonstrations as the primary means of 
advocacy. Leaders plan to celebrate May Day in 21 
different locations in Zimbabwe-highlighting the freedoms 
of assembly and press. Zanu-PF supporters have recently 
assaulted May Day festivities organizers, beating one 
person severely. Zanu-PF activists later released all 
victims. 
 
3. (SBU) Despite election laws prohibiting unauthorized 
voter education, ZCTU plans to continue with a voter 
education campaign for the upcoming 2005 parliamentary 
elections. 
 
4. (U) The AFL-CIO plans to award ZCTU Secretary General 
Wellington Chibebe with the George Meany Award in a 
Washington DC ceremony sometime in July. This will 
hopefully focus international attention to the GOZ's 
continuous repression of organized labor. 
 
5. (SBU) Comment: Although committed to advancing 
workers' rights and democracy, the ZCTU leadership 
appears to have run out of ideas. The stayaways and 
demonstrations have not worked, yet this continues as the 
main thrust of their campaign.  Perhaps the voter 
education drive will kick-off a new period of activism. 
 
Sullivan