zimstrike DEFIANT WORKERS SHUT DOWN MOST OF ZIMBABWE IN TWO-DAY STRIKE HARARE March 4 1998 Sapa Zimbabwean workers on wednesday defied President Robert Mugabe's government for the second day as they answered calls for a two-day national strike that saw most of the country shut down. Industrial production in the country's urban areas ground to an almost complete halt, as did rail, finance and postal services. Government offices and shops followed suit, although in the capital, Harare, retail business and government departments ran on skeleton staff after the government threatened to "punish" strikers and withdraw the business licences and contracts of employers who closed their businesses. The two-day strike passed in an atmosphere of calm throughout the country, with the exception of a group of youths who stoned a bus carrying workers in the southern mining town of Zvishavane. The strike, called by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions to protest against surging price increases and new taxes, was banned by the government. Observers say the response has further undercut Mugabe's hold on authority as he struggles with an economic crisis and corruption scandals raging around him. "The people stayed away because we have legitimate demands. The message has gone home," said ZCTU secretary-general Morgan Tsvangirai. There were no demonstrations or protest marches after the union appealed to workers to stay at home to avoid giving overzealous police a target. Meanwhile, the government resumed its anti-white rhetoric on Wednesday as information minister Chen Chimutengwende accused white employers of "acting like economic saboteurs". He alleged whites incited strikes. "The white community is taking advantage of genuine grievances of the workers," he said. The strike was called in response to the dramatic economic slump of the last four months that saw prices of basic consumer commodities soar out of reach of ordinary Zimbabweans. Economists lay most of the blame for the economic crisis at Mugabe's door and say it is the result of a ZD4,2 billion (R1,3 million) payout ordered by him to meet the gratuity payouts demanded by militant ex-guerrillas who helped bring him to power in 1980. Workers are due back at their jobs on Thursday, but observers warn that Mugabe faces the likelihood of even worse industrial unrest when the government eventually effects a heavy fuel price hike to meet increased import costs. The increase is expected to start a new round of price hikes and new wage demands from workers in the face of the increased cost of living. NATIONAL STRIKE CRIPPLES ECONOMY FOR SECOND DAY HARARE March 4 1998 Sapa-AP A national strike to protest higher taxes and soaring food prices brought business to a standstill for a second day Wednesday and angered the beleaguered government of President Robert Mugabe. Most factories were unable to operate. State postal, railroad and electricity maintenance services were shut down. Government departments were undermanned despite threats of stern action against state employees who stayed away from their posts. Information Minister Chen Chimutengwende accused employers of "economic sabotage" Wednesday by closing their businesses. The official also resurrected charges made earlier this week that the strike was a plot by the nation's 80,000 white citizens to sabotage the government's efforts to confiscate 1,480 mostly white-owned farms and turn them over to landless black peasants. Chimutengwende alleged that some whites gave their employees two days of paid vacation to join the strike. "I know it's connected to land. The white community is trying to destabilize the situation for their own good," he told reporters. Police reported just one incident of violence Tuesday near a rural center in southwestern Zimbabwe where a bus was stoned. Seven people were arrested but there were no reports of injuries. The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, the main labor confederation, organized the two-day stay away and claimed to have shut down 80 percent of the economy on Tuesday. Morgan Tsvangirai, the confederation's secretary general, denied charges by Chimutengwende his group refused to negotiate an end to the dispute and acted like an opposition political party. "The government wants to say do this, do that. That is not negotiation. That is dictation and we will not be dictated to," he said. Mike Auret, head of the Roman Catholic Justice and Peace Commission, said the peaceful action continued to cripple the economy Wednesday. "We have reports from across the country that discipline is being maintained by workers and police," he said. More shops and businesses appeared to have been opened by managers who stayed home Tuesday fearing violence, Auret said. In downtown Harare, banks and government offices were offering limited services. Money markets reopened, but traders said business was light. Peter Kunjeku, head of the Employers Confederation of Zimbabwe, said the strike would severely hurt the ailing economy, but no estimate of losses was available. "Our statistics are in such a shambles we do not even know how much the economy generates a day," he said. Irked that most of the economy was shut down Tuesday, the government threatened to punish businessmen and state employees, including teachers, for participating in the strike it declared illegal. Riot police patrolled the outskirts of urban centers and army troops were on standby in their barracks for a second day. In January, demonstrators clashed with police and troops in the streets over food price increases and at least five people died from gunshot wounds. A strike organized by the labor confederation in December forced the government to back down on some tax increases. But a 2.5 percent point increase in sales tax remained in force and strikers also demanded a lasting solution to food price hikes. Most essential commodities have increased in price by more than 25 percent since November, when the Zimbabwe dollar plunged by nearly 60 percent in value against the U.S. dollar. Inflation and unemployment, both above 20 percent, were still rising. ZIMBABWE GOVERNMENT APPEALS FOR WORKERS' RETURN HARARE, March 4 1998 Sapa-AFP The Zimbabwe government made a fresh appeal to workers Wednesday to return to work, on the second and final day of a stoppage over taxes. "The government has appealed to all Zimbabwean workers to turn out in full force and ignore the ZCTU (Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions) call for a stayaway," state radio said. The first day of the two-day strike, aimed at forcing the government to drop some taxes and rein in commodity prices, was largely a sucess, with unions claiming 80-90 percent compliance. "This success will go don into the history of our revolution for survival," the ZCTU said in a statement. However, Industry and Commerce Minister Nathan Shamuyarira said many urban workers had ignored the strike call, and he reiterated a government pledge to punish businesses that closed their shutters on Tuesday. "We regard this as a serious breach of both contract and the law. They wanted to give impetus to an illegal strike," Shamuyarira said. The National Railways of Zimbabwe suspended all its passenger and freight services Tuesday because no crews turned up for work. "Even trains from outside the country have been cancelled. There are no crewmen," said railways spokesman Herbert Mondlani. Most shops in the capital Harare opened on Wednesday morning, with people and cars on the streets than the previous day. President Robert Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF party said Wednesday that workers should not be woodwinked by the ZCTU leadership, which it accused of seeking to undermine the government. While admitting the country was facing economic difficulties, ZANU-PF attacked the labour movement for employing "intimidatory tactics to foster lawlessness in the country."