The Sunday News
Nkosilesisa Ncube, Sunday Life Reporter
While trade unions and pressure groups are common in the formal employment sector, they are barely heard of in the informal sector. However, this is about to change as models from around the country are to form an organisation to fight for their rights.
The union, Zim Model Union, as it is known, is the brain child of Bulawayo model Miyamiko Banda who noticed that very often models were ill treated, poorly paid and sometimes given no pay at all. He came up with the idea to improve working conditions of models.
Banda described Zim Model Union as a platform where models can air their views, concerns, interests, hopes, dreams and conflicts.
“There is a general need to address the issue of model exploitation and model ill treatment. I believe we need to come together as models to take control of our industry so that we can stop seeing models working for nothing. We have fallen behind because we tolerate too many unfair practices from corporations, designers, promoters and sometimes even agencies. We want to have dignified careers. If we do not revolutionise the industry now then we will always be the lowest trade,” Banda said.
Zim Models Union aims to address, among other issues, payment of models, interaction with agencies, publicity, training and events etiquette. It is open to models from all around the country, be they potential , amateur or professional models based both in and outside the country.
“Exposure is not going to feed models. It is high time Zimbabwean models fight back and refuse to do unpaid jobs, refuse to be manipulated and refuse to be exploited for their good looks and striking catwalk moves. In all honesty, if models can pay for training why can’t they not be paid to work?” Zim Models Union already has 129 members.
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