- New labour rules are effective immediately, targeting exploitative rolling one-month deals
Zimbabwe’s mining industry has outlawed the practice of placing workers on consecutive one-month contracts, a move that effectively guarantees every mineworker a minimum employment term of 12 months under newly registered labour rules, Mining Zimbabwe can report.
By Rudairo Mapuranga
Statutory Instrument 71 of 2026, a collective bargaining agreement registered under the Labour Act, explicitly states that “all contracts shall be for a period of not less than twelve months.” Any contract shorter than that, unless for genuine casual, seasonal, or specific project work, is automatically deemed a permanent contract without limit of time.
The provision strikes at a common industry tactic where companies repeatedly renew very short-term contracts, leaving workers without job security, benefits, or access to leave entitlements for years. Under the new rules, employers may renew a fixed-term contract only twice. After that, “an employee shall be deemed to be… on a contract without limit of time.”
Defining the ‘Contract Worker’
The agreement redefines a “contract worker” as someone engaged for a period of “twelve months and above.” Any contract below that threshold that is not for casual work, seasonal work, or a specific task or project will be treated as a permanent contract from day one.
“This closes a loophole that has been used to create a class of workers who are perpetually temporary,” said a labour lawyer familiar with the negotiations. “For years, miners have been kept on 30-day cycles, renewed month after month, with no annual leave, no housing allowance, and no path to permanency.”
Leave and Termination Rights
The new rules carry significant financial and operational consequences for employers. Contract workers on terms of more than one year are now entitled to take annual leave rather than merely receiving a cash payout at termination. Termination notice periods are also sharply defined: three months for indefinite contracts or those of two years or more, two months for contracts of one to two years, and one month for six-to-twelve-month deals.
Crucially, any employee who has had a fixed-term contract renewed twice automatically converts to permanent status on the day of the second renewal.
Industry Context and Exemptions
The mining industry has been a cornerstone of Zimbabwe’s economy, but labour practices have drawn criticism from unions. The Associated Mine Workers of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Diamond & Allied Minerals Workers Union, both signatories to the agreement, have long argued that short contracts suppress wages and undermine collective bargaining.
The agreement does allow employers to apply for exemptions from the National Employment Council, but only after discussing the matter with the mine’s works council or affected employees. Exemption applications must be filed within 30 working days of a wage review and must include audited financial statements.
Enforcement and Penalties
The National Employment Council for the Mining Industry is charged with the administration of the agreement. Employers must keep copies freely available for worker inspection, and contracts must be in writing, signed by both parties, with a copy given to the employee.
Any dispute over a worker’s contract status or category can be referred to the council, whose decision is final.
The agreement, which repeals and replaces previous collective bargaining instruments from 1990 and 1993, came into effect upon its publication in the Government Gazette.
