Country Rating: 5

  • No guarantee of rights

  • Countries with the rating of 5 are the worst countries in the world to work in. While the legislation may spell out certain rights, workers have effectively no access to these rights and are therefore exposed to autocratic regimes and unfair labour practices.

Suspension of Farai Katsande: Farai Katsande, President of the Zimbabwe Banks and Allied Workers' Union, who was suspended from his position in the Infrastructure Development Bank of Zimbabwe on 15 October 2013 for allegedly absenting himself from work while he was attending a union activity in Kenya. Previously bank management attempted to prevent Farai Katsande from engaging in trade union activities by promoting him to a supervisory position which would have disqualified him from his union membership.

21 union leaders dismissed for leading a strike: 21 labour union leaders were dismissed in January 2013 for allegedly spearheading 12 days of industrial action at Falcon Gold Dalny Mine in Kadoma. Two of them were reinstated in unclear circumstances in a move described by the appellants as a "divide and rule" tactic. On 15 May 2013, 19 of the workers have taken the matter to the Labour Court contesting their dismissal. According to the National Mine Workers' Union of Zimbabwe (NMWUZ), Falcon Gold Dalny Mine threatens the existence of a registered trade union. After the strike in January, the company dismissed the entire branch of the union.

Police brutality towards the striking Hwange Mine Workers wives: On 7 October 2013, the Zimbabwe Republic Police fired teargas and beat up over 100 women, accompanied by their children, who were protesting against the Hwange Colliery Company Limited. The women walked for 20 km to the General Managers' office demanding their husbands' salaries owed over five months. Two women sustained serious injuries and were admitted to hospital. In April 2013, the company suspended 520 workers over salary disputes and alleged breach of the company's code of conduct. The workers had gone on strike over outstanding employee share option schemes which Hwange Colliery Company failed to provide.

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