Abstract
M.A. (Industrial Sociology)
Contemporary resistance in the mining sector in Zimbabwe is grounded in everyday acts and directed towards power relationships exercised at work. Overt forms of resistance have been waning in Zimbabwe because of various pieces of draconian legislation and a dire economic climate, which have made it difficult for firms to pay their employees competitive wages. This is the very reason why subterranean forms of resistance have been gaining traction and deserve to be studied. The study concludes that, in this case, subterranean forms of resistance are perhaps better described as coping mechanisms.Subterranean forms of resistance include activities practised by the employees such as slow-downs, name calling, obtaining false sick notes, destroying company property and work stoppages. This phenomenon has attracted significant public attention and raised the need to explain different kinds of resistance and causes. This study in understanding hidden forms of workplace resistance, which focusses on one of the major platinum mining companies in Zimbabwe, uses Scott’s notion of “weapons of the weak”, which posits that covert forms of resistance are favourable when open and collective resistance seems dangerous. A vast literature suggests that there is little space for overt grassroots resistance owing to an authoritarian regime in Zimbabwe. Hence it is necessary to look at hidden forms of resistance in order to understand working class mobilisation in Zimbabwe.
Data was collected through in-depth interviews, observations, and document analysis. Fourteen in-depth interviews were conducted with mine workers and one trade union official. The study developed a database listing forms of workplace resistance that mine workers engaged in. The forms that emerged from this study covered the following: strikes, kukanda (handing sick notes), absenteeism, sabotage, name calling, unique language, feet dragging, desertions, time wasting and resignations. Findings of the study support the idea that “everyday forms of resistance” are favourable when workers face obstacles to collective and more organised forms of resistance like strikes and protests.
In this study, mine workers were able to exercise their power and challenge existing power relations through the use of “everyday forms” of workplace resistance. However, these hidden forms of resistance seem to be challenging power relations to a limited extent. They are doing a good job of empowering workers to take breaks from work, to control the labour process and to gain some dignity at work but are failing to bring about comprehensive material gains like wage increments and better working conditions. As such, I suggest they may be better understood as coping mechanisms.