Chibebe: Zimbabwe’s Union Movement Remains Strong

by James Parks, Aug 20, 2008

Wellington Chibebe

Zimbabwe’s union movement remains strong, despite the government’s reign of terror and oppression, Wellington Chibebe, secretary general of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), told a crowd of about 100 last evening in a forum at AFL-CIO headquarters in Washington, D.C.

“We are relatively strong, given the current situation both economically and politically. We are in the trenches and going strong,” Chibebe said.

Zimbabwe is “a nation in crisis,” says AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer William Lucy, who chairs the AFL-CIO Executive Council’s international affairs committee. Lucy, who introduced Chibebe at the open forum, says the crisis in Zimbabwe:

affects every aspect of life, and it is all caused by the incredible desire of a government to hang on to power no matter what.

Zimbabwe’s discredited President Robert Mugabe has launched a national campaign of intimidation, with union members as major targets. Mugabe has a long record of worker and human rights violations. On top of that, the nation has an 80 percent official unemployment rate, which Chibebe says is closer to 95 percent when you count people who are underemployed. Inflation is rising at an astronomical rate of 11 million percent. 

In May, the Zimbabwean government arrested and released on bail Chibebe and ZCTU President Lovemore Motombo. They are charged with “inciting the public to rise against the government and communicating falsehoods” in the midst of that country’s runoff presidential election.       

They were detained for questioning after Chibebe, winner of the AFL-CIO’s 2003 George Meany-Lane Kirkland Human Rights Award, told a May Day rally in Harare that post-election violence was increasing. As a condition of their bail, Chibebe and Motombo are not allowed to “address any political gathering until this matter is finalized,” says the judge. Their trial, which originally was set for June 23, has been postponed three times and now is scheduled for Aug. 27. If convicted, the two men could be sentenced to 20 years in prison.  

Chibebe says he doesn’t know what will happen at the trial, but he is prepared for anything.

I am confident we are fighting for the right thing. Whether we are convicted, we cannot give up our rights. We are prepared to serve our sentences.

Over the past weekend, Chibebe received the first annual Norman Hill Human Rights Award from the A. Philip Randolph Institute at its annual conference in Jacksonville, Fla. He says the award demonstrates that “the world is watching and recognizing our efforts.” 

When it comes to recognition from the trade union community, it gives us courage to fight on. It also gives some sad memories that 28 years ago when we were fighting in the bush to bring independence, we are now fighting to bring democracy. In 1980, we brought independence, but we did not bring in democracy, and that is what we now are fighting for. 

Another sign of the global support for the ZCTU is the WeAreZCTU website where more than 2,000 workers around the world sent photos to create a mosaic of  Chibebe and Motombo.

Chibebe says the biggest disappointment about the current situation in Zimbabwe is that the dreams of freedom that were strong after the country became independent in 1980 have not materialized.  

Under Mugabe, the revolution that we once were proud of is now eating its own children. This time, we are back to the trenches, but through efforts at negotiation and pressure, not through the barrel of a gun. We fight because we wish to see a free and democratic society.  

But no matter who eventually takes power in Zimbabwe, Chibebe says the trade union movement in that country will remain strong and independent. 

No matter what political party is in power, come heaven or hell, the role of the labor movement is to challenge.    

The global union movement has provided much needed help and training for ZCTU and its members, Chibebe says.

Definitely, we have received a great deal of support from the international community, particularly from the trade union movement. This support has been both political and moral. And to some extent, trade unions have given us material support. In solidarity, they are saying an injury to one is an injury to all. We are part of the world trade union community.

We expect the continued support of the trade unions, which we have always had.

Now we want to knock on the doors of the United Nations and the African Union to ensure that whatever process is unfolding in Zimbabwe does not do away with democratic principles and the right of people to be heard.

The AFL-CIO Solidarity Center, along with the international labor movement, has been working with ZCTU for many years to build a strong union movement in Zimbabwe.

Print This Article | E-Mail This Article |Comments (3)