US embassy cable - 03HARARE584

UNCLAS HARARE 000584 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
STATE FOR AF/S, DRL 
NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR JFRAZER 
 
E. O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ECON, ELAB, PGOV, ZI 
SUBJECT:  GOZ BACKS AWAY FROM CONFRONTATION WITH ZCTU? 
 
Ref: Harare 550 
 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  NOT FOR INTERNET POSTING. 
 
1. (SBU)  An interesting exchange between the Minister of 
Labor, July Moyo, and an employers' representative 
reportedly took place in a recent Tripartite Negotiating 
Forum meeting.  When the employers' rep asked the Minister's 
view on whether or not his association should be dealing 
with the GOZ-created shell labor organization Zimbabwe 
Federation of Trade Unions (ZFTU), Moyo replied, "There is 
only one king at a time..."  Employer and labor reps both 
took this as an indication that the GOZ was backing away 
from its previous heavy-handed support of the group it 
created to challenge the primacy of the internationally- 
recognized (and opposition aligned) Zimbabwe Congress of 
Trade Unions (ZCTU). 
 
2. (SBU)  Comment:  Whether this position reflects the GOZ's 
formal strategy is unclear.  There is no doubt that the GOZ 
has gained much useful propaganda (as well as an increased 
veneer of legitimacy) from its very public "consultations" 
with the ZCTU in the TNF meetings (ref).  Last year, the GOZ 
actually paid for the rival ZFTU to attend and "advise" at 
the International Labor Organization's (ILO's) annual 
convention in Geneva -- although it ultimately granted the 
ZCTU formal recognition as the accredited labor 
representative -- where the government gained widespread 
international condemnation for its campaign against 
organized labor in general and the ZCTU in particular. 
Whether or not the GOZ insists on ZFTU participation in this 
year's ILO conference in May may well indicate its long-term 
intentions towards the ZCTU.  End comment. 
 
Sullivan