He is trying to use a Zimbabwean law that allows the labour minister, in special circumstances, to dismiss union officials guilty of gross mismanagement, criminal conduct or the failure to execute their mandate to represent workers on labour issues. He says he will seek the removal of the ZCTU leadership "for unethical conduct and for abandoning its core business of representing workers to pursue politics".

COSATU will give the maximum support to the ZCTU in their fight against any attempts to remove its leadership undemocratically. We agree with them that this is "part of the government’s intimidation tactics, as part of a programme to further reduce the democratic space".

Independence from government is one of the pillars of trade union democracy. If leaders can be hired and fired by government, they immediately cease to be representatives of the workers, and the union movement will be effectively dead.

We fully support the ZCTU’s fight to remain independent, and be free to continue with its work to defend advance the interests of the workers.

Meanwhile COSATU also supports moves by the ZCTU’s lawyers to get the charges faced by 30 ZCTU leaders, of "trying to launch an illegal protest", thrown out of court. The lawyers also want the Criminal Law Codification Act, under which they are being charged, to be declared "too vague and not reasonably justified in a democratic society" and in violation of basic constitutional rights. The ZCTU leaders were arrested, jailed, beaten and tortured on 13 September when they tried to lead marches over the spiralling cost of living. Secretary General Wellington Chibebe had a fractured arm while 29 others sustained bruises and cuts after being assaulted in police custody.

President Mugabe said the union leaders had defied authority and deserved the beatings. What could more graphically illustrate the crisis of human rights and democracy in Zimbabwe!

On the day the new International Trade Union Confederation is launched, it is important to remember - an injury to one is an injury to all!