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18 October, 2010
IndustriEnergi (IE), ICEM’s strong Norwegian energy and chemicals affiliate, awarded its first Arthur Svensson International Award for Trade Union Rights to Wellington Chibebe, the Secretary General of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU). The award came at the opening of IE’s Congress in Oslo on 11 October.
Chibebe won the award as one of the trade unionists leading the courageous struggle in Zimbabwe for workers’ rights. IE’s Arthur Svensson Award is named after a longtime leader of Norsk Kjemisk Forbund, the Norwegian Chemical Workers’ Association, which merged in 2006 with NOPEF to form IE.
Wellington Chibebe, ZCTU General Secretary
Chibebe told African radio upon wining the award that Zimbabwe’s unions must continue fighting for its rightful “democratic space” in Zimbabwe’s economic society. The global significance to the award, said Chibebe, is that the world now knows that Zimbabwe has appeared before the ILO Standards Committee every year since 2002, “culminating in the commission on enquiry which came to Zimbabwe last year and a report that moved the government to address the problems that have been facing unions.”
Chibebe and others in Zimbabwe have been effective global voices against the brutish trade union abuses that occur in the country. In May 2008, he and ZCTU President Lovemore Matombo were locked up and charged with an absurd “communicating falsehoods” complaint against the state. In September 2006, Chibebe was beaten in police custody after being one of some 200 trade unionists seeking satisfactory work rights. He began his trade union career in 1988 as an apprentice railway worker. He became president of the railway union and then joined ZCTU in 2001.
In praise of Chibebe’s award last week, the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) said in a statement that he has “courage, passion, and firmness of principle. We believe the African trade union movement in particular and the global trade union movement in general has an asset in him and we are yet to see more of his outstanding contributions as we intensify our struggle for justice.”
The Arthur Svensson International Award for Trade Union Rights comes with a cash prize of NOK 500,000 (€60,000).