Mozambique: Unions Accuse Employers of Hindering Dialogue
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Loading... - Sonia Odamtten
- 04 May 2022
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The largest Mozambican trade union federation, the OTM (Mozambican Workers' Organisation) on Sunday accused the country's employers of showing little interest in "social dialogue", which makes it difficult to seek disputes for labour disputes.
Speaking in the southern city of Xai-Xai, where the main celebrations of International Workers' Day were held this year, the OTM General Secretary, Alexandre Munguambe, also attacked "the inertia shown by the Mozambican government and state", in delaying legal recognition of trade unions in the public administration.
Delays do not solve anything, said Munguambe, but merely make problems more acute, while opting for intimidation creates a gulf in labour relations.
"The lack of opening to social dialogue by the employers, the intimidation against the most active union leaders, and disrespect for labour legislation, makes the activity of the trade unions, seeking to solve the problems affecting the workers, more difficult", he accused.
Munguambe said it was now urgent for the government to react, given the poor labour relations environment caused by the failure to observe the labour legislation.
For the third year running, there were none of the traditional May Day marches and parades, suspended because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Munguambe lamented the proliferation of short term labour contracts, which creates "unstable and insecure" jobs, and casts a veil of permanent uncertainty over the workers' future, thus perpetuating poverty and social exclusion.
Munguambe also protested against the increases in the minimum wages announced in April, which vary between 3.6 and 7.6 per cent. The new minimum wages had been reached inside the Labour Consultative Commission (CTT), the tripartite negotiating forum between the government, the unions and the employers. The CTT announced consensus over the wages between the unions and the employers, while the government claimed that the rises were, not those that were desirable, but those that were possible.
But on Sunday, Munguambe made the OTM's disappointment very clear. The new minimum wages were far from meeting the rising cost of living. Nonetheless, he reiterated the unions' commitment to the country's development.
"We reaffirm our commitment to production and productivity", he declared, "but at the same time we are demanding decent work and social justice. We are in favour of continual improvement in the labour environment, for stability in labour relations, and for the effective practice of social dialogue".
In a message issued on the occasion of May Day, President Filipe Nyusi guaranteed that his government will spare no efforts to consolidate peace, through frank and objective dialogue with all sectors of Mozambican society.
He called for a reflection on how to react to the challenges facing the country, including the Covid-19 pandemic, the effects of climate change, and the terrorist attacks which have ravaged the social and economic fabric of parts of the northern province of Cabo Delgado. Read More...
