Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) on Friday said workers have no reason to commemorate this year’s Workers Day as most of them are now living from hand to mouth.
International Workers’ Day is commemorated every 1 May.
ZCTU western region chairperson Ambrose Sibindi said as the economy continues to haemorrhage jobs, coupled with ill-treatment by employers, poor remuneration and economic challenges, workers have no incentive to celebrate Labour Day. Said Sibindi:
Honestly, there is nothing to celebrate, we are only celebrating the lives that God has given to us and honouring the national day because it is there. We are just doing it out of respect.
Most of the workers are earning a paltry $10 000, which is a disgrace. This shows that workers are in a very difficult situation.
Those who are working hardly get their salaries and some can even go for three months without being paid.
Sibindi observed that some workers work in unsafe environments while vendors are harassed every day. He said:
Some of the companies do not adhere to COVID-19 regulations, especially in small mines; workers go to work without proper PPE (personal protective equipment). The workers are told that the economy is bad.
Workers are harassed every day, especially the vendors who do not have proper places to work from, so I don’t see what they are celebrating.
