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Mr Ngoni Masoka

Nonsikelelo Moyo in Victoria Falls
REPRESENTATIVES of national employment councils in the country met in Victoria Falls this week to deliberate on submissions towards coming up with a common position on the Labour Bill.

The Bill, which came as a result of concerns that workers were not being protected in terms of the existing legislation, seeks to balance the country’s labour laws with the International Labour Organisation practices, which promote decent work.

The zero draft bill will serve as a guide for social partners in amending the Labour Act of 2015. Its goal is to deal with problems that were created by a landmark High Court ruling in June 2015 that allowed employers to terminate employment contracts on three months’ notice.

Officiating at the National Employment Councils Symposium in Victoria Falls on Wednesday, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare
Permanent Secretary, Mr Ngoni Masoka said as soon as the Bill was agreed on it will be tabled before Parliament.

“The official draft Labour Amendment Bill is now being drafted by the Attorney General’s Office and once agreed by the social partners will be tabled before Parliament,” said Mr Masoka.

He said labour laws need to be amended so that they remain relevant in the world of work in the country.

“This symposium is taking place at a time when the ministry is making concerted efforts with the support of social partners, that is, business and labour, to amend the labour laws so as to modernise them in order to remain relevant to the world of work in Zimbabwe,” said Mr Masoka.

He said legal frameworks have been put in place for the facilitation of productivity.

“In an endeavour to promote productivity the principles for the legal framework that will govern the operations of the Zimbabwe National Productivity Institute have been agreed upon by the social partners and are now awaiting approval by Cabinet,” said Mr Masoka. — @nonsy_m.