By Own Correspondent

THE Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has kick started a campaign to ensure that the workers dividend is derived in the numerous bilateral and multi-lateral trade agreements which the country has entered into.

Currently, the country has Preferential Trade Agreements (PTA) which gives preferential access to certain products from the participating countries by reducing tariffs on the belief that benefits associated will include learning effects, increased foreign investment, and the provision of regional public goods such as transport networks among others.

Currently Zimbabwe has four operational bilateral trade agreements with Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, and Namibia.

The country is also a signatory of several other Multilateral Trade Agreements within the region and across the continent.

Speaking to The Worker recently  ZCTU’s head of the Parliamentary Affairs and Advocacy Department, Vimbai Zinyama said the multiplicity of trade agreements which the government has forged in the quest to drum up investment inflows pose serious risks of eroding the workers dividend.

She said the numerous incidents where locals have ended up exposed to unsafe working conditions and poor remuneration at foreign owned firms are a direct result of sidelining labour on the negotiating tables.

“As a result, the ZCTU has instituted a campaign on making trade agreements work by pushing for labour’s involvement in deals and agreements taking place. As labour we must be granted the opportunity to revisit past agreements and see how they have impacted on the lives of the workers and the ordinary citizens.

“Over the years we have noted an increase in the mismatch between the lives being led by ordinary folk and the investment inflows of profits generated by foreign capital. We also contend that considering the challenges our country is dealing with, other investors may end up taking advantage of the confusion to shortchange the workers,” she said.

Zinyama said the campaign will see lobbying through various government departments and spaces to make sure that labour is accorded its rightful space in key negotiations.