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Further wrongs of trade union rights in Zimbabwe
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU)
January 28, 2004

http://www.icftu.org/displaydocument.asp?Index=991218903&Language=EN

Brussels: The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) today strongly condemned the dismissal, on Friday 23rd January, of Lovemore Matombo, President of its member organisation in Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU). The ICFTU said his dismissal was arbitrary and politically motivated.

The ZCTU leader was dismissed from his position at Zimbabwe Post (ZIimpost) for attending an international trade union gathering in Sudan. In line with his role as President of the country's national trade union centre, Matombo was in the Sudanese capital to take part in a congress of the Khartoum-based Organisation of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU).

Matombo was accused by his employers of being absent from work without official permission yet the ZCTU, and Union Network International, have both confirmed that Lovemore Matombo had fulfilled standard procedures for gaining "special leave" to attend the Khartoum meeting. Matombo is also President of CAZWUZ, a Zimbabwe UNI-affiliate. The ICFTU is also informed that Zimpost's management had earlier agreed not to take any steps against Matombo following his trip to Khartoum.

In a letter addressed to the Zimbabwean Minister for Labour, the ICFTU General Secretary Guy Ryder said, "This succession of events strongly suggests that Mr. Matombo was in fact fired under pressure from the Zimbabwe Post Board, itself acting on political instructions".

The ICFTU is calling for an immediate reinstatement of Lovemore Matombo to his position at Zimpost. It underlines the hypocrisy of the dismissal since the labour leader was attending a meeting concerning African unity, which the Zimbabwean government claims to strongly support. The ICFTU warned the Zimbabwean government that failure to take urgent action to reinstate Matombo would result in a formal complaint to the UN's International Labour Organisation (ILO) and a mobilisation of the international labour movement against his unjustified sacking.

The ICFTU represents 151 million workers in 233 affiliated organisations in 152 countries and territories. The ICFTU is also a member of Global Unions: http://www.global-unions.org

For more information:
please contact the ICFTU Press Department on +32 2224 0210
Website: www.icftu.org

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