US embassy cable - 04HARARE1083

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 001083 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR AF/S 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JFRAZER 
USDOC FOR AMANDA HILLIGAS 
TREASURY FOR OREN WYCHE-SHAW 
PASS USTR FLORIZELLE LISER 
STATE PASS USAID FOR MARJORIE COPSON 
STATE FOR DRL/IL 
 
E. O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ELAB, EAID, BTIO, EINV, ECON, PGOV, ZI, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) 
SUBJECT: A CONVERSATION WITH WELLINGTON CHIBEBE 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  After attending the International 
Labor Organization (ILO) conference in Geneva, Wellington 
Chibebe, Secretary General of the Zimbabwe Congress of 
Trade Union's (ZCTU), talks about the ILO Conference, 
land nationalization, and wage negotiations. End summary. 
 
ILO CONFERENCE 
------------------ 
2. (SBU)  Chibebe declared the ILO conference a success. 
Delegates sharply questioned GOZ about its labor 
practices even as some delegates saw positive steps in 
recent labor law changes. The next test will be ILO 
Section 87 Freedom of Association provisions. 
 
3. (SBU) Chibebe was embarrassed by Labor Minister 
Mangwana's shouting and ranting about imperialists trying 
to re-colonize Zimbabwe and curtail the country's 
sovereignty. Mangwana repeatedly denounced the ZCTU as an 
instrument of the opposition. At one point, a GOZ 
representative accosted the Canadian delegation, calling 
them racists. A GOZ representative also threatened 
reprisal against the Swazi labor delegate for openly 
siding with ZCTU and criticizing GOZ. In the plenary 
session, delegates expressed disappointment with GOZ's 
behavior- they expected more professionalism. 
 
LAND NATIONALIZATION 
----------------------- 
4. (SBU) Chibebe clearly stated his opposition to 
nationalization. He was also confused about how the 
announcement came out- first with an all-inclusive 
nationalization and then with a pared-down "only acquired 
land" version. Chibebe opined that GOZ would nationalize 
all productive farmland (with an eye towards the 
industrial sector afterwards). However, international and 
domestic criticism forced a temporary retreat. He 
believes GOZ will simply list all properties with 
productive farmland, thereby marrying the two seemingly 
disparate policy statements. 
 
WAGE NEGOTIATIONS 
--------------------- 
5. (SBU) Chibebe expressed optimism about the current 
round of wage negotiations. Employers and employees 
agreed to conduct quarterly wage negotiations to keep up 
with hyperinflation. Some even negotiate monthly. 
 
6. (SBU) Negotiations have been difficult, with both 
business and labor recognizing the need to balance the 
need of workers for higher wages against the need for 
employers to hold down costs. 
 
7. (SBU) Some workers are currently earning as little as 
Z$100K+/month while ZCTU estimates Z$800K-Z$1 Million as 
a living wage. However, average worker pay should climb 
to around Z$500K by negotiations' end. Chibebe hopes the 
minimum will be Z$800K by year-end. 
 
 
 
 
COMMENT 
------------- 
8. (SBU) Chibebe appeared genuinely satisfied with the 
ILO Conference. ILO delegates took GOZ's assault on labor 
seriously and GOZ's behavior did not impress the world. 
 
9. (SBU) Chibebe believes Zanu-PF will nationalize all 
productive farmland in order to control their own members 
as well as the general population. The state technically 
owns properties reportedly taken by ZANU-PF bigwigs 
anyway, so their private interests will not deter full 
nationalization. Chibebe cites the recent expulsion of MP 
Paradza and the closing of The Tribune newspaper (Paradza 
was one of the owners)as evidence of ZANU-PF's desire to 
control its own membership. 
 
10. (SBU) ZCTU has no immediate plans of action, other 
than to prepare for elections. ZCTU expects increasingly 
aggressive GOZ harassment as elections near. All eyes are 
on next year's elections.  Meanwhile, Zanu-PF continues 
its succession battles while the opposition takes cover. 
 
Sullivan