The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has warned the government that the prevailing economic challenges being experienced by workers will lead to massive protests.
Speaking after the labour body’s general council meeting on Thursday, ZCTU secretary-general Japhet Moyo blamed failed governance for the ongoing hardships. ZCTU said in a statement:
The ZCTU is in the process of consulting structures to get a mandate for mass action in the event that the above issues are not addressed.
The ZCTU notes with great concern that notwithstanding the reduction in fuel duty, placing fuel procurement on the interbank market will result in frequent price adjustments, given the rapid depreciation of the real-time gross settlement dollar (ZWL$) on both the interbank and parallel markets.
The upward adjustments in fuel prices will have knock-on effects on the prices of basic goods and services, worsening the impact of the already depreciating exchange rate on the general level of prices.
The ZCTU is demanding that the lowest paid worker in Zimbabwe should get north of US$600.00.
The Labour body also demanded the immediate convening of the Tripartite Negotiation Forum (TNF). It said:
The ZCTU demands that an urgent Tripartite Negotiation Forum be convened to discuss the State of the economy and the way forward.
Contrary to the Constitution, this government has a tendency of announcing policies without consultations as required by section 13(2) of the Constitution. We reserve the right to approach the courts for redress.