Workers’ Dignity Is Our New National Task! - Chamisa On Worker's Day

Nelson Chamisa who leads the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) has said the dignity of workers is the new national task.

He made the remarks this Sunday after attending a Worker’s Day event organised by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) and held at Chamhanza stadium in Dzivarasekwa, Harare. He posted on Twitter:

Today, I attended the Workers’ day @ZctuZimbabwe celebration at Chemhanza stadium in Dzivarasekwa. Had opportunity to interact with fellow citizens who shared sad stories about their daily livelihood struggles esp transport & meagere wages. Workers’ dignity is our new national task!

His remarks come when workers in both the public and private sectors are lamenting over the meagre salaries they are being paid which are also being eroded by soaring inflation.

Government workers including teachers and doctors have in the past three years been at loggerheads with their employer over salaries.

They are demanding the restoration of the USD-denominated salary they were being paid prior to October 2018.

On average, government workers were being paid around US$500 but are now being paid around US$200 after currency changes that resulted in the reintroduction of the Zimbabwe dollar in 2019 after being suspended for ta decade.

Chamisa’s party pledges to change workers’ fortunes if it is elected into office in 2023. The party also said it will reintroduce the United States dollar as the main currency until the economy was stable.

The incumbent government led by President Emmerson Mnangagwa is adamant that a foreign currency cannot be the anchor of Zimbabwe’s economic recovery efforts.

In his speech to mark the Worker’s Day, Mnangagwa commended workers for being resolute and contributing to national economic growth. He admitted that salaries needed to be reviewed. He said:

In this regard, your dignity as workers, your value, wages and salaries must be commensurate with the resultant improving macro-economic fundamentals.

More: Pindula News