The Influence of Trade Unions on Promoting Industrial Relations in Zimbabwe

He roles of trade unions in promoting industrial relations. The study aimed at establishing the roles of trade unions in industrial relations, to identify the challenges hindering the performance of the trade unions in industrial relations, to explore the extent to which the ZCTU is achieving its desired goals in industrial relations and find ways of improving the performance of trade unions in industrial relations in Zimbabwe in the COVID 19 era. Trade unions play important roles in industrial relations which include influencing government policy, collective bargaining, and representation, educating members, minimizing discrimination, and promoting industrial harmony. Empirical studies were done in Britain, Romania, Nigeria, Botswana, and locally showed that trade unions represent workers at the grassroots level, bargain for the interest of the workers, and ensure that there is a good relationship between workers and employees. The study revealed that the effectiveness of the ZCTU in Zimbabwe is being hampered by the economic crisis, loss of membership, restrictive labor legislation, victimization of activists, and political interference. Trade unions are important actors in industrial relations as they improve the working conditions of the employees but in developing countries, their operations are being curtailed by globalization changes and the economic crisis. The study recommends that the trade unions need to adapt to the changing environment, promote human rights and democracy, training officers and activists, form strategic partnerships and social alliances, intensive recruitment and training, and participating in job creation.