ZIMBABWE CATERING AND HOTEL WORKERS’

UNION

ORGANISING DEPARTMENT PROGRAMME OF ACTION FOR

2007.

INTRODUCTION

The Organising department, as its name suggests is involved in organising activities

meant to broaden the membership base for our organisation.

During the period mentioned above, the department needs to come up with strategies
and concentrate on boosting our membership base. The period under which we want
to put strategies in place has already shown us what tomorrow holds for us. Workers
incomes have already been eroded by the economic situation obtaining in the country.
The year is characterised (as already shown after the Monetary Policy Statement by
the Reserve Bank Governor) by a decline in real incomes. Workers have always
looked up to the Tripartite Negotiating Forum for salvation but this remains a pipe
dream.

The Forum has become one of the usual talk shows like the Mai Chisamba shows of
this world. Nothing is coming out of these TNF meetings. It is then with this that the
department proposes this programme of action for 2007, unfortunately without having
reviewed the failures and achievements of 2006. The period looks more challenging
than previous years for reasons said above hence the need to focus and commit
ourselves.

The year 2007 and the department look set for a bruising battle that all in the
department cannot afford to loose.

CHALLENGES

a) Low participation of members in Trade Union activities due to fear and

ignorance
 enacted laws such as POSA and AIPPA are making it difficult
 Education in conjunction with Organising a priority.

-1-
 b) Communication has always been the impediment between leadership and
grassroots.

c) Visibility is paramount – we need to see the members, talk to them about their
problems, and let them be involved in the way the organisation is developed.

d) Decline of membership due to the above and none servicing, low salaries,
economy and the ever bulging ghost of splinters – a massive recruitment
programme is a must.

e) Hostile political environment – education on laws governing employment and

other e.g. POSA and AIPPA.

f) HIV/AIDS pandemic – Healthy and Safety programmes and campaigns in

workplaces, using workplace based meetings as these have a sentimental
attachment where feed back is fast. The Union needs to come up with an
HIV/AIDS Policy.

g) Gender issues – organising women in the industry and education to members

over the issues. Women have always been lagging behind in Union activities -
women structures are a priority in all our areas of operation.

These and other challenges can be overcome and the wish is for all involved to
give it their all.

Organising department wishes to work hand in hand with the Education

Department as the challenges suggest a relationship that no one department
can do without the other.

PROPOSED ORGANISING ACTIVITIES FOR 2007.

The department in order to overcome the above and other challenges and to fulfil set
objectives propose the following-:

FIRST QUARTER – JANUARY – MARCH 2007

GENERAL MEMBERS’ MEETINGS

Proposal for these meetings throughout the country with the leadership – President,
General Secretary, National Organising Secretary and Area Organiser.

Period - Last week of February or 1st week of March 2007.

-2-
RECRUITMENT AND SERVICING

This programme can best be termed massive in the sense that as alluded to above in
my introductory statement there are a lot of unnavigated waters out there the members
need to be seen and given what belongs to them. Potential membership must be
turned into material membership. Organisers to be engaged in these programmes on a
round robin for different areas.

Participation in all programmes and activities organised by ZCTU and mobilising

members to participate in all these.

Strategies – promotional material need to be used for members to be encouraged,

T/shirts, banners, hats and caps and other Union paraphernalia.

Mobilisation and organising must also be massive.

The ZCTU programmes in the 1st quarter are-:

- International Women’s day
-All other activities that may be called
for by the ZCTU.

Setting up of women structures – it is the belief and conviction of the department that
issues of gender will be easy to tackle if women have structures – the process must
start in this first quarter.

SECOND QUARTER - APRIL – JUNE 2007

ORGANISERS’ OUTREACH VISITS

April - Bulawayo, Mutare and Harare

May - Kariba and Victoria Falls

June - Gweru and Masvingo

Organisers (must) shall put their itineraries in place basing on the months they are
slotted to do the visits.

ZCTU ACTIVITIES

 World Safety Day – April

 Workers Day - May
 Health & Safety - June
 Other activities within the quarter -3-
ORGANISERS’ WORKSHOP

That includes the President and General Secretary for evaluation of the first quarter -
all organisers to be present and Education Officer.

Proposed period - Last week of April

Follow up with meetings over the women structures process from the 1st quarter.

THIRD QUARTER - JULY TO SEPTEMBER 2007

1) Evaluation meeting of organisers over challenges, achievements and

impediments during the first and second quarters, then does way forward.

2) Workplace meetings - organisers and branch officials and consolidation of

workers committees.

3) Education and training of set-up structures in conjunction with Education

department.

4) National organiser’s visits to all branches and offices.

5) All other activities that may be deemed necessary during the period.

FOURTH/LAST QUARTER – OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2007

Evaluation meeting for the previous quarter’s activities.

ORGANISERS’ VISITS

October - Masvingo, Harare and Bulawayo

November - Gweru and Mutare

December - Kariba and Victoria Falls

ZCTU ACTIVITIES
 World AIDS day - 1st December
 International Human Rights Day 10th December. -4-
THEMES FOR THE PERIOD’S ACTIVITIES

ORGANISING PROGRAMMES

 Organise one capture the rest

 Trade Union membership, insuring your rights

 ZCHWU – for your total emancipation from Labour and worker rights
abusers.

 ZCHWU - we endeavour to serve you unconditionally.

 Catering workers - the champions and makers of Tourism.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROGRAMME OF ACTION - 2007

PARTICIPATION
To make sure there is increased and improved participation by all groups within the
Union, young workers, women and all other structures, especially the lower
structures.

RECRUITMENT AND SERVICING

Membership drive is one critical area that needs all involved to achieve the goals.
It is important that financial resources are available to enable the above
recommendations to come to fruition and it is paramount that we monitor and carry
out support visits to fledgiling structures at the lower level of our organisation.

DEPOLITICISATION OF THE WORKPLACE

There is serious political polarisation that has made it very difficult to organise
workers coupled with fear by employers and employees – we need to convince
workers that they must see themselves as workers first and them to understand that
their individual political beliefs are secondary and should not be brought into the
workplace.

UTILISATION OF TRAINED CADRES AND SHOPSTEWARDS

There has to be a sense of security for workers when it comes to representation and
protection of their rights hence it is important to revamp and encourage cadres and
trained paralegals and shop stewards to represent workers in their different spheres
and areas of operation.

-5-
REVAMPING/SETTING UP OF STRUCTURES
Revival of existing structures such as workers committees, Branch Executives and
setting up of non- existent structures in the Union such as young workers committees
and women committees - it is in these structures that we need to cultivate and
promote a culture of constructive debate and tolerance at the workplace, this to reduce
the polarisation politically obtaining in the workplace.

DEPARTMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES PROPOSAL

RESPONSIBILITIES DEPARTMENTS
Fight for and advocate for the harmonisation of the workplace Organising
Embark on National & sectorial actions to enable membership Organising
to be on the forefront. Training of structures and general Education
membership. Admin & Finance
Organising workplace meetings to talk about workers problems Organising
including HIV/AIDS. Education
Find ways of finding solutions to the raising of subscriptions to Admin & Finance.
realistic levels.
Develop a membership record keeping system to enable for the Admin & Finance
administration of finances. Education.
Find alternative finding for various activities of the Admin & Finance
organisation and networking with other organisations Education
Organising
Utilise trained paralegals, educators, shop stewards & cadres in Education
areas of H& S, HIV/AIDS and Law. Organising
Evaluation and plans of action meetings must be called bi- Admin & Finance
annually to assess progress and failure.
Must-establish an information and communication network in Admin & Finance
all areas throughout the country
To make sure gender is mainstreamed at all levels Education
Organising
Improve on the mobility of officers in the regions to service Admin & Finance
members
THRIVE FOR A BETTER AND ROBUST ZIMBABWE ALL
CATERING & HOTEL WORKESR’ UNION. DEPARTMENTS

TOGETHER WE WILL BRING RESULTS

-6-
____________________________________________________________________