INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN RHODESIA by Dave Windsor
The Rhodesian Ministry of Trade,Industry and Development has publ- -ished a brochure: "Development Opportunities in Rhodesia"for businessmen and other potential investers. Some sections make very interesting reading for socialists. Under "Labour Legislation" we read:
".eeln the event of a dispute either both parties can agree to the matter being referredto voluntary arbitrationor either the trade union or the employers' organisations concerned can refer the matter to compulsory arbitration. An arbitration award is binding for a specified period on the parties to the dispute and may be extended by the Minister to all employers and employees in the industry except that under compulsory arbitration, either party can give notice within 28 days of the award that it does not intend to be bound by the award. Only in the latter circumstances can there be a legal gtrike or lock-out. Any dispute affecting essential services must be referred ”°an industrial council or conciliation board and,if no agreement : is reached,the matter must be referred to compulsry arbitration, the award to be binding on all parties..."
The sum total effect of these regulations is clearly to make strikes virtually illegal.
The most striking facts come in the appendix giving average earnings of workers. Two sets of figures are given: one for Africans, and the other for "Europeans,Asians and Coloureds". If we compare the figures for 1963 we get the following pictures: