MDC-T commemorates Workers' Day

The MDC joins the rest of the workers in commemorating the International Workers' Day, which comes against a background of hope despite attempts by Zanu PF to take-over the few operating companies.

This year's local theme for the commemorations is, "By Words and Deeds Proud to be ZCTU".

The MDC is a social democratic party with a paternity that is safely rooted in the country's trade union movement and we therefore treasure this special relationship with the workers of Zimbabwe.

As a party, we respect and treasure the stone from which we were shaped leading us to grow to be the largest political party in Zimbabwe and we will continue fighting tirelessly with the masses to bring real change.

The International Workers' Day is an engagement meant to celebrate the economic and social contributions of workers.

However, in Zimbabwe this year's celebrations come amid a cloud of uncertainty due to Zanu PF's scorched earth policies of attempting to forcefully take over companies under the guise of indigenisation and empowerment. The chaotic drive will not benefit the majority of Zimbabweans but only a few politically connected individuals and this will lead to the closure of affected companies and create more unemployment in a country that has over 70 percent of the population jobless.

As a country, we grow the national cake by focusing more on creating new wealth and employment while preserving and growing the existing wealth. This is the true spirit of a national empowerment policy that every well-meaning Zimbabwean should be pursuing.

Our position as the MDC is that we need to revive our industries so that the silent machines can roar once again in our factories and the hundreds of thousands of professional workers who have either fled the country or were retrenched can once again, with pride, serve the country of their birth.

We want the thousands of graduates churned out from our tertiary institutions to get jobs and enable the financially-challenged inclusive government to collect more revenue to fund the critical needs of our nation such as food, electricity and medicines.

The MDC, as a labour-backed and based party whose major aim is to address the concerns of workers and the downtrodden, is aware that more needs to be done to address the plight of those who continue to make this economy work.

Workers, especially civil servants, are still being paid salaries which are inadequate to fend for their families. We condemn reports from construction industry that armed soldiers in Harare last week stopped workers from demonstrating against unfair labour practises.

In light of such sad developments, the MDC hopes the new Constitution will cater for the needs of the employees so that they begin to enjoy freedom of assembly and engage in job actions without fear of unnecessary crackdown by overzealous State security agents.

We call for a work environment that rewards enterprise and initiative, one that promotes sound relations between the State, employer and employee.

As a party that firmly supports the workers' struggle for real change and a new Zimbabwe, the MDC President and Zimbabwe's Prime Minister, the Rt Hon. Morgan Tsvangirai accompanied by the Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Hon. Paurina Mpariwa and senior party leadership will on Tuesday join thousands of other workers in celebrating this important day at Gwanzura Stadium in Highfield, Harare.

The MDC will continue to walk and fight for real change side by side with the people of Zimbabwe.