By Own Correspondent

REPRESENTATIVES from labour and business recently met President Emmerson Mnangagwa to appraise his office on the escalating economic crisis affecting the sectors.

The meeting comes at a time when several economic related problems continue to dog the economy with the cost of living spiraling beyond the reach of many.

The business community has also faced challenges due to exchange rates instabilities , waning local demand are electricity outages which choked productivity for most part of the year.

“On Friday 7th of July 2023, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions  (ZCTU) representatives together with representatives from business were invited by Hon Paul Mavima, the Minister of Public Service and Social Welfare to meet President Emmerson Mnangagwa at State House,” said ZCTU in an update.

The labour organ said they informed the head of state about the challenges workers face, the volatility around socioeconomic matters affecting the constituency and most importantly wanted to understand government policy regarding safeguarding or protecting wages and salaries in the current inflationary environment.

The labour organ also raised concerns around the functioning and effectiveness of TNF that has not been able to meet regularly to attend to the issues that the platform was constituted to deal with.

“Our view is that there's no seriousness on the part of the government  at the TNF to address challenges we face.

“The other matter raised was the criminalization of the trade union work and how our affiliates have struggled to access workplaces and ZCTU gave examples of Chinese investments where politicians have interfered with trade union work,” said ZCTU.

The team discussed the Labour Amendment Bill and differed with the Employers who indicated their objection to its assertion by the President.

Employers are putting a strong opposition to the signing of the Bill and have submitted their objection to the Ministry Labour.