The president of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), Florence Taruvinga, has called on workers to unite against capitalism. She made the remarks in her speech to commemorate the International Workers’ Day.
Taruvinga stated that the workers’ union is working hard to address workers’ concerns in a hostile environment, as the position of workers has worsened over time, and the government and businesses lack the political will to improve it.
Speaking in Dzivarasekwa, a Harare suburb, where ZCTU held the Workers’ Day commemorations, she emphasized the need to move beyond rhetoric and develop new strategies to confront these challenges, as agonizing over them will not solve them.
Taruvinga stated that this year’s theme, “Workers Demand an Inclusive Zimbabwe Free from Poverty, Corruption, and Oppression,” reflects the challenges faced by workers and citizens in the country.
She said the majority of workers are excluded from national processes, and a small group controls the national cake. Taruvinga emphasized the need for workers to occupy spaces in governance and claim what is rightfully theirs.
Taruvinga highlighted unresolved challenges faced by workers and citizens, including low wages, corruption, oppressive labour laws, poor services, and limited democratic space.
She said the welfare of workers and citizens has become dire, with ongoing disputes between their representatives and the government over the minimum wage. Taruvinga said the government’s piecemeal approach to paying allowances in USD while suppressing salaries in ZWL has had a devastating impact.
She also said workers are enduring high taxes, but social amenities and services are in shambles, leaving pensioners in poverty. Inflation and price increases have made it difficult for workers to make ends meet, and most are earning below the Poverty Datum Line. Taruvinga emphasized the need for realistic salaries and a living wage across all sectors.
Workers in Zimbabwe have gone on periodic strikes over the years to protest against low salaries and poor working conditions.
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