Clemence Manyukwe News Editor—
PRESIDENT Robert Mugabe has signed into law the Labour Amendment Bill, to repeal common law provisions that had been used by employers to fire workers on three months’ notice, in a development that will bring relief to workers who were being sent home empty handed. The law was fast-tracked through Parliament, sailing through both the National Assembly and the Senate within a week as the executive sought to end the trail of job losses following the July 17 Supreme Court ruling that unions say employers took advantage of to sack more than 20,000 workers. The Minister of Public Service, Labour and social Services Prisca Mupfumira confirmed the signing of the Bill into law.

“I can confirm that the President has signed the Bill into law. It’s now an Act,” said Minister Mupfumira. While addressing a joint sitting of the National Assembly and the Senate during his State of the Nation address on Tuesday, President Mugabe said the new law would result in a win–win situation for both workers and employers.

“Following the Supreme Court ruling of 17th July 2015, which saw thousands of workers being fired at three months’ notice, the government has reviewed the Labour Act. We must remove common law provisions that have been used by employers to unilaterally dismiss workers on notice, sending them home empty handed. This is intended to be a win-win outcome for business and labour in the true spirit of smart partnerships,” said President Mugabe.

“The labour reforms are part of the raft of policy measures and legislation being pursued by the government to improve the Ease of Doing Business environment.” During debate on the Bill in the National Assembly, Minister Mupfumira said the law was anchored on principles premised on the economic blueprint, Zim-Asset, which seeks to achieve sustainable development and social equity anchored on indigenisation, empowerment and employment creation.

She said the law seeks to create an environment for harmonious industrial relations where the rights of all parties are guaranteed. She said the Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment Number 20 of 2013 guided the law making process as the new legislation provides for the right to just, fair and equitable conditions of work.

The Minister said since 2008, the government was seized with the process of harmonising labour laws in consultation with social partners since the last amendment of the Labour Act in 2005. She said during the labour law harmonisation process, the Cabinet Task Force on Labour Law Reforms met and mandated the Working Party of officials to ensure that Zimbabwe’s labour laws are aligned to the spirit and purpose of Zim-Asset; promote labour market flexibility; are not vague and do not have contradictory provisions.

She said on the sidelines of the Cabinet Taskforce’s activities, the labour ministry also engaged business and labour leaders to seek buy-in of the process which resulted in a tripartite agreement on the draft principles which Cabinet approved. She said, additionally, the new law took into consideration the Cabinet Resolution to incorporate amendments which dealt with the July 17 Supreme Court ruling. She added that her ministry was conducting a survey to inform the nation the extent of the job layoffs, in order to come up with a sustainable resolution.