Trade Union Work in Zimbabwe

The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung has been a consistent partner of the independent trade union movement in Zimbabwe since 1981. The partnership with unions goes beyond just technical and financial assistance, it is a longstanding cooperation in the face of political and economic challenges supported by social democratic values. The FES, itself born out of the labour movement, continues to seek most effective ways of furthering the interests of the working class in Zimbabwe working with both the federation and sector level unions.

The programme aims to strengthen the voice and participation of the working people in economic and political transformation in Zimbabwe. Our goal is to target both formal economy trade unions as well as informal economy organised workers. Such an approach has been necessitated by the realisation of the effects of the changing economic structure and the emergence of the new forms and patterns of employment on the labour movement. The main instruments used to achieve the programme objective are training, research and policy debates and advocacy.

Strategic activities targeted at strengthening the Trade Unions’ capacities to resist neoliberal policies which continue to curtail labour rights are at the core of our work. The activities aim to capacitate unions to represent their interests for a just transformation of the economic and social order. In cooperation with the Ministry of Labour as well as trade unions and informal workers associations, activities such as paralegal trainings, publications, young workers training, have been consistent undertakings in the partnership. The FES in Zimbabwe continue to offer spaces to trade unions and other progressive organisations to contribute to the sustainability debate in the country. This work is carried out in a context that respects the democratic participation of women, youth and people with disability.