8. Trade unionism in Zimbabwe: Historical and socio-economic context I. Colonization and white minority government: 1880s–1979 76. In the 1880s, British settlement of the land now comprising Zimbabwe, within which the Shona and Ndebele peoples lived, began under the British South Africa Company. Despite insurrections by the Shona and Ndebele, British settlement increased and the country became formally known as Southern Rhodesia. The country was ruled according to a clear division along racial lines at the expense of the African majority. 77. The British South Africa Company introduced various measures “to induce reluctant African workers to enter wage employment”, where their employment contracts were individually negotiated under master and servant legislation which made the bringing of grievances very difficult. 10 The pillar of the early colonial economy was the mines on which Africans were sent to work despite a reluctance due to their agricultural activities which supplied all their needs. To meet the increasing labour demands most workers at this time were temporary migrant labourers from neighbouring countries, brought into the country. A 1901 ordinance regularized the legal status of black workers, but made no provision for collective consultation or bargaining. 11 At this time, trade unions of black workers were illegal. 78. White workers on the mines and the railways had organized themselves into trade unions from 1916. 12 A strike by white mineworkers in 1919 resulted in their demands being met and, indirectly, led to the formation of the Rhodesia Mine Owners’ Association in 1920. In 1923, Southern Rhodesia became a self-governing British colony as a result of a vote by its British settlers. At that time, there was a “vociferous white labour movement” in the country, although it was not entirely officially recognized. 13 79. In comparison, there were no formal trade unions among the black workers. The Industrial Conciliation Act 1934 excluded African workers from collective bargaining procedures and from training for skilled jobs, by excluding “natives” from the definition of employees. 14 This statute created industrial boards for each sector, within which trade unions and employers’ organizations negotiated wages and working conditions. The Land Act, 1930 excluded Africans from ownership of the best farming land and the Labour Act, 1934 prohibited Africans from entering skilled trades and professions. Consequently, black workers largely worked for low wages on white-owned mines and farms and as domestic workers or lowskilled workers in factories or the railways. 10 Harris, P., 1974, “Industrial relations in Rhodesia”, in South African Journal of Economics Braamfontein, 42(1), pp. 65–84, p. 65. 11 Harris, op. cit., p. 65. 12 Phimister I. and van Onselen, C., 1997, “The labour novement in Zimbabwe 1900–1945”, in B. Raftopoulos and I. Phimister (eds) Keep on knocking: A history of the labour movement in Zimbabwe 1900–97 (Baobab Books/ZCTU, Harare), pp. 1–54, p. 1. 13 Harris, op. cit., p. 65. 14 This had the result that most African workers were still covered by the Master and Servant Ordinance. Meetings-2009-Zimbabwe C of I-2009-12-0035-3-En.doc/v3 31