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Leonard Ncube in Victoria Falls
NATIONAL Employment Council (NECs) have hinted on plans to form an association that will act as a negotiating platform for labour issues.

Labour matters are presently discussed at the Tripartite Negotiating Forum (TNF), which is a voluntary gathering of Government representatives with union federations, ZCTU and ZFTU and the Employers’ Confederation of Zimbabwe (Emcoz).

Worker representatives who attended an NEC 2017 symposium in Victoria Falls recently said they were not adequately represented as workers at the TNF forum hence they wanted to form an association  that would enable them to negotiate as one voice. “The NEC is the only platform where every sector is represented. Right now we have the Labour Bill amendment process going on but we are not involved,” said one participant.

The NECs representatives believe once constituted, such a forum could be the starting point for consultations on labour matters.

Said another participant: “We want to be recognised and even legislated so that we become the starting point for Bills and other labour related issues.

There is a need to form an association of NECs so that we are able to lobby as one voice.”

Director of labour in the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Mr Clemence Vusani who was at the conference, called for unity of purpose among NECs in dealing with labour issues. “Let’s work together. There is nothing wrong with this forum. Yes there are concerns that you are creating a parallel structure to the Tripartite Negotiating Forum but the truth is that not everyone is a member of Emcos or other unions hence it is important to capture the private sector as well,” he said.

The two-day conference was held under the theme: “Enhancing the employment creation agenda”.  — @ncubeleon