You can’t fool the workers

with ruling party lackeys – a pathetically transparent first step to annexe the powerful but pro-opposition labour movement.
The workers will never accept that. The world will never accept it. We hope the unions worldwide will make their view know – loud and clear and soon.
The ZCTU represents the interests of the workers in Zimbabwe. Its leaders are elected by the workers themselves.
Mugabe has accused the leadership, many of whom were brutally assaulted by his thugs in police uniform last month, of unethical conduct, violating foreign exchange laws and abandoning the workers to pursue politics. The workers themselves have voiced no such complaints. And Mugabe has provided no hard facts to back up his allegations.
He feels that the union leaders should “concentrate on its core business of representing workers rather (job) stayaways that have failed to address bread and butter issues in the country.”
The fact of the matter is that the leaders were demonstrating precisely over bread and butter issues. There is no longer any bread, let alone butter, on the tables of Zimbabwe’s workers or their families.
It is not the responsibility of any government to appoint the labour leaders. Zanu (PF) might have a sufficient majority in parliament to bring about legislation enabling it to do this, but any labour movement resulting from such political interference will never be accepted by the workers.
The ruling party already has its own Federation of Trade Unions, led by one Joseph Chinotimba, which has been an unmitigated disaster.
This new attempt is destined to follow in its footsteps. We salute the brave leaders of ZCTU who have vowed to fight tooth and nail against such tyranny.