Zim records 75 company closures, over 9 000 job losses

A record 9 617 job losses and 75 company closures were recorded last year amid fears that the trend could escalate this year as the economy continues to shrink, the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions has said.

ZCTU secretary-general Japhet Moyo said a recent survey by the labour body had shown that the most affected workers were in the clothing, engineering, furniture, metal, industry, tobacco, textile, chemicals, food, agriculture, catering, pulp and paper industries.

He said this year had already recorded 890 job losses in the General Agriculture and Plantation Workers Union of Zimbabwe following loss of activity at eight large commercial farms.