‘Insensitive’ Employers Blamed for Labour Disputes

25 April 2011

Maputo — Mozambique’s main trade union federation, the OTM, on Monday blamed the “insensitivity” shown by some employers for recent labour disputes.

Speaking at a Maputo press conference, OTM Chairperson Carlos Mucareia criticized in particular the multinational security company, Group Four Securicor (G4S), for calling in the riot police to repress a demonstration by workers protesting at unjustified deductions from their wages.

Mucareia pointed out that the demonstration by the security guards outside the G4S human resource offices would never have taken place, if the company had responded in good time to the workers’ complaints.

“The brutal way in which the police acted cannot be accepted”, he declared. “The OTM condemns the behaviour of the police, and demands that G4S makes good the damage caused to the workers and, through dialogue, solve the problems that pit the workers against the company”.

Mucareia said that several companies had introduced new payment systems, which led to irregularities in wage packets, which were angrily denounced by the workers. Some companies swiftly overcame these difficulties, but G4S proved reluctant to listen to the unions representing security workers.

The OTM added that the unions are in favour of harmonious labour relations, and he urged employers to take the same attitude. He pointed out that the trade union committees in the workplace should be treated as valid representatives of the workforce.

“Social dialogue and the culture of work are practices to be entirely recommended, for the full achievement of labour productivity, the only way to fight against absolute poverty and reduce our external dependence”, he said.

As for the government’s measures to mitigate the cost of living, Mucareia said they require a viability study to reduce distortions in implementation. “Our organisation is ready and willing to provide the indispensable inputs”, he stressed. “We call on all workers and other citizens to make their maximum contribution so that these measures can achieve their objectives”.

The government’s measures are essentially to switch away from the current general subsidies on fuel and wheat flour, and replace them with targeted subsidies. These will include a basket of basic foodstuffs sold at subsidised prices to the urban poor (defined as those with an income of less than 2,500 meticais – 80 US dollars – a month), and subsidised bus passes for students and workers.

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