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Parliamentary portifolio committee discusses Labour Amendment Bill
The Herald (Zimbabwe)
August 03, 2005

A TWELVE-MEMBER parliamentary portfolio committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare met yesterday to discuss the Labour Amendment Bill which seeks to, among other things, ease working conditions especially for women.

Amending principal sections of the Labour Relations Act would ease women’s working conditions.

The Bill that was introduced in Parliament two months ago is currently being scrutinised by the Parliamentary Legal Committee to see whether its provisions are in conformity with the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

The legislators went through the proposed law’s clauses but most of them said they would need to study the principal Act for them to make meaningful contributions when the committee meets again in two weeks’ time.

If passed into law, the Bill will increase maternity leave for women from 12 to 14 weeks and allow women in their first year of employment to go on maternity leave with full benefits. Currently, women who fall pregnant in their first year of employment go on unpaid maternity leave.

In the Bill, an employer who fires his or her employee when he or she is at fault would have to pay more damages to the fired employee.

Under the proposed law, all employment organisations would be governed by the Labour Act except civil servants who are governed by the Public Service Commission.

The committee is chaired by Zaka West MP Cde Mabel Mawere (Zanu-PF), while other members are Mr Titus Maluleke (Non-constituent), Chiredzi South Cde Aaron Baloyi (Zanu-PF), president of chiefs’ council, Chief Fortune Charumbira, Mkoba MP Mr Amos Chibaya (MDC), Mpopoma MP Mr Milford Gwetu (MDC), Buhera South MP Cde Kumbirai Kangai (Zanu-PF), Chivi North MP Cde Enita Maziriri (Zanu-PF), Masvingo Central MP Mr Tongai Matutu (MDC), Mufakose MP Ms Paurina Mpariwa (MDC), Muzarabani MP Cde Luke Mushore (Zanu-PF) and Budiriro MP Mr Gilbert Shoko (MDC).

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