employment of any worker which appears justified.

(vi) to confirm an employers’ intention to impose any punish-
ment provided for by the Disciplinary Code.

(vii) to hold joint conference with the employer or his represen-
tative, at appropriate intervals, to discuss working im-
provement if necessary to promote the efficiency and
productivity of the establishment in the interests of the
economy in general and of the concern and the workers.

(viii) to hold joint conferences with the employer or his
representative in order to keep under periodic review the
safety and welfare arrangements in the establishment.

In practice, however, the workers’ committees have tended to
be instruments of the employers for keeping the workers down. It
is significant that just as the key word associated with the TANU
industrial Branches is ‘no interference’ the key word for the
workers’ committees is ‘discipline’. Invariably the function of
these committees is described as enforcing ‘discipline’. I have
already referred to Jenga which reported on the 1970 Annual
National Development Corporation Managers’ Conference: the
task of the workers’ committee was seen there as being to ‘ensure
that workers’ discipline is carried out’. The ‘Guidelines’ drafted by
the National Development Corporation on the establishment of
workers’ councils also refer to workers’ committees in these terms:

The workers’ committee deals mainly with discipline. 1t does not deal
with politics or personnel policy or even with other aspects of
management. But it would be wise to consult with the committee on
these matters simply because it will help them better to appreciate the
implications of their functions. Experience has proved that a well-used
committee can be a useful tool of good management.

The workers’ committees are nothing but tools for management'
No wonder in the last few months there has been so much
agitation for the abolition of NUTA. Since the organisation
acquired its parastatal character — its leaders being nominated by
government and getting its funds by compulsory deduction from
workers’ wages — it has ceased to be the tool of the workers for
expressing their interests, In recent months, the NUTA leaders
have had to make many speeches to justify NUTA’s existence, oc-
casionally joined by the President. Yet in the factories, demands
for NUTA'’s abolition have continued.

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