Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has threatened industrial action if the government does not increase the wage bill after a general council that met yesterday to receive a report back on the recent Tripartite Negotiating Forum (TNF) outcomes and processes.
The workers’ union says working people of Zimbabwe have suffered immensely as wages have failed to keep pace with the inflationary trends.
“Although the General Council reaffirmed its position for Zimbabwe to use the South African Rand as an alternative, it, however, ratified labour’s negotiating team’s position of a minimum wage of ZWL$ 3 800.00 as proposed by the government as relief measure while the government stabilises the currency within six months,” ZCTU Secretary General, Japhet Moyo said.
“The minimum wage has to be implemented through the promulgation of a Statutory Instrument under the country’s labour laws. Failure of which workers of Zimbabwe would embark on an indefinite industrial action.”
The trade union went on to says the situation of workers in the country has worsened rendering it practically impossible for workers across all sectors to earn the current salaries and sustain their families or be able to go to work.
“The ZCTU noted with disappointment that although business is against indexing salaries and wages to the US dollar and exchange rate, business itself is profiteering by indexing goods and services to this exchange rate,” Moyo said.
“The General Council noted with concern the high levels of corruptions in the country, the illicit financial outflows, and state capture by cartels and resolved to join other progressive organisations in fighting these scourges bleeding the country.”
“In the meantime, the ZCTU will embark on nationwide consultations in the form of Labour Forums and workers are encouraged to come in their numbers to air their views on the form of action to be taken if the demand is not met,” he went on.
Workers have always been threatening strikes with inflation eroding salaries.
The government enforces workers to go on a TNF before conducting an industrial action.
