The Government has warned that it will not hesitate to suspend trade unions that fail to comply with labour laws, following a verification exercise which established that seven of the 38 affiliates of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) were not meeting statutory requirements.
Deputy Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Advocate Mercy Dinha, said the Government had temporarily deferred action against the non-compliant unions to avoid disrupting the ZCTU’s 10th Elective National Conference held from 30 to 31 October 2026.
However, she made it clear that the reprieve should not be interpreted as a relaxation of the law, warning that the Ministry would take decisive action against unions that fail to regularise their operations.
“The Ministry conducted a Trade Unions compliance verification exercise, and thirty-one (31) out of thirty-eight (38) ZCTU affiliates are compliant.
“The Ministry intended to suspend non-compliant Trade Unions but could not do so, to avoid disrupting this Congress. However, in future the Ministry will not hesitate to suspend non-compliant Trade Unions. Compliance is non-negotiable and I urge you to work towards hundred percent compliance,” Advocate Dinha said.
The warning comes at a time when organised labour is grappling with mounting challenges, including employment insecurity, inadequate remuneration, unsafe working conditions and limited access to social protection, raising questions about the capacity of trade unions to effectively represent and defend workers' interests.
While acknowledging the critical role played by trade unions in representing workers, negotiating conditions of employment and safeguarding labour rights, Advocate Dinha stressed that such responsibilities must be underpinned by sound governance, accountability and adherence to the country's labour laws.
She urged the ZCTU and its affiliates to strengthen their institutional structures, improve internal accountability and ensure that their operations comply with statutory provisions.
The deputy minister's remarks formed part of broader discussions at the conference, which ran under the theme “Constitutionalism, Social Justice: Workers United for Decent Work and Economic Empowerment”.
Advocate Dinha reminded delegates that Zimbabwe's Constitution guarantees workers fundamental rights, including the right to fair and safe labour practices, freedom to form and join trade unions and participation in trade union activities.
She also called on employers to respect labour legislation and collective bargaining processes, emphasising the need for constructive engagement between Government, business and organised labour.
“Social dialogue remains one of the most effective instruments for promoting industrial harmony, resolving disputes and building trust among Government, labour and business,” she said.
She encouraged workers and employers to make greater use of established dispute-resolution mechanisms, including conciliation, mediation and arbitration, rather than allowing workplace disputes to escalate.
Beyond the issue of trade union compliance, Advocate Dinha highlighted the broader structural challenges confronting Zimbabwe's labour market, particularly the expansion of informal employment and the changing nature of work.
Citing the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency's Labour Force Survey for the second quarter of 2025, she said informal employment accounted for 58.5 percent of employment, a development that presents significant challenges for workers' protection, representation and access to social security.
She noted that the growth of informal work, coupled with changing skills requirements, demanded coordinated interventions from Government, employers and organised labour to promote decent work and sustainable livelihoods.
The deputy minister also pointed to the National Social Contract for 2026–2030, negotiated through the Tripartite Negotiating Forum and approved by Cabinet on 30 September 2026, as an important framework for cooperation on economic and social policy.
She called for deliberate efforts to address the vulnerabilities of women, young people, persons with disabilities and workers in precarious and informal employment, who often face greater barriers to decent work and economic security.
Advocate Dinha further emphasised the importance of skills development, technical and vocational education, apprenticeships and workplace training in preparing workers for the evolving demands of the labour market.
For workers in the informal economy, she said, expanding access to skills development and social protection, alongside creating pathways towards formalisation, was essential to improving livelihoods.
“The true measure of economic empowerment is the extent to which people can secure sustainable livelihoods, enjoy dignity at work and participate meaningfully in national development,” she said.
She challenged delegates to ensure that the conference produced practical recommendations capable of strengthening workers' representation, improving labour relations and advancing social justice.
The compliance warning places renewed responsibility on the ZCTU and its affiliates to strengthen their institutional capacity and demonstrate that trade unions, as custodians of workers' rights, must themselves uphold the laws and principles governing their existence.
As the labour movement charts its course under the newly elected leadership, ensuring full compliance across all affiliates will remain an important test of its organisational strength, credibility and ability to effectively champion the rights and interests of Zimbabwean workers.