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Communique of the general council of the ZCTU workshop on social dialogue
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU)
August 20, 2005

We, the general council members of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), meeting at the Montclair Hotel in Nyanga from 19- 21 August 2005 to reflect on the concept of social dialogue as a vehicle for resolving workplace issues and national crisis facing Zimbabwe:

Having,

• Discussed and understood the concept of social dialogue,
• Understood the objectives and principles of the social contract,
• Realised the potential of the union leadership in the social dialogue process,
• Explored and learnt from the experiences of other countries,
• Discussed the strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities of the current social dialogue framework in Zimbabwe,

Observing that the tripartite discussions on social dialogue as an instrument of resolving the current crisis have been on the national agenda for the past decade;

Noting that the Tripartite Negotiating Forum (TNF) was established as an institutional framework for social dialogue in September 1998;

Acknowledging the key landmark policies adopted by the TNF and the consensus documents it produced such as the Declaration of Intent, the Prices and Incomes Stabilisation Protocol, the Immediate Measures to Resuscitate the Economy, the Kadoma Declaration on the country risk factor amongst others;

Concerned about the failure to take advantage of, and implement the agreed positions of the TNF;

Further concerned about the stop-go approach to social dialogue and lack of political will to implement agreed policies, result in the worsening of the crisis, in spite of the dialogue;

Realising the deepening crisis and its paralysing impact on the populace;

Further realising the continued polarisation of the people along political lines;

Cognisant of the need to achieve consensus and develop a common vision on matters of common national interests by the stakeholders;

Encouraged by the emerging consensus on the need for social dialogue emanating from the dead end situation the economy is in;

Conscious of the strengths, expertise and resources already in existence and embodied in all stakeholders on the social dialogue process;

Further encouraged by the emerging regional and international initiatives to resolve the Zimbabwean crisis, especially from South Africa, the UN, United Nations and the ILO;

Mindful of successful experiences from countries that used social dialogue as a vehicle for economic turnaround such as the Republic of Ireland, Barbados, the Philippines and South Africa;

Convinced that social dialogue is the only way of reconciling the divergent and polarised positions amongst Zimbabweans and to normalise the situation and relations at national, regional and international levels;

Hereby declare:

Our commitment to engaging all social partners, Government, Business, Civil Society and the Academia in a revived and sustained process of social dialogue.

Our commitment to implement the agreed positions from the social dialogue process,

And Recommend at ZCTU level that:

There is a need to sensitise membership on the concept and importance of social dialogue at bipartite and tripartite level,

The union leadership must maintain and enhance a culture of dialogue in order to preserve the integrity of the labour movement and achieve democracy in the workplace,

Social dialogue must be maintained and enhanced at sectoral level so that issues of poverty alleviation and employment creation can be tackled at bipartite level,

Unity and solidarity amongst union leadership must be maintained and enhanced for the social dialogue process to succeed at all levels,

The ZCTU must enhance networking with other civic organisations on areas of common interests,

Further recommend at national level that:

• Social partners must understand and educate their membership on the concept of social dialogue and its importance to national development,
• Social partners must have the mandate of their membership or respective organisations for the social dialogue process to work ,
• Parties to the social dialogue process must revisit and recommit themselves to the principles and objectives of the Kadoma Declaration, considering the prevailing national crisis,
• Social partners must develop a culture of dialogue and build the capacity for the social dialogue process,
• Social partners must participate in the social process on an equal footing,
• A culture of trust, mutual respect, transparency, accountability and tolerance must be cultivated amongst the social partners in order to overcome polarisation.
• The existing social dialogue structures must be statutorised in order for them to be binding on the social partners.
• Social partners must be committed to creating a conducive environment for social dialogue to take place.

L Matombo
PRESIDENT

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