News / National
Workers must be treated fairly, says Mnangagwa
02 May 2021 at 09:20hrs | Views
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa, under siege from a restive government workforce constantly demanding increased and US dollar wages, has made a surprise appeal to Zimbabwean employers to treat their workers fairly.
Addressing journalists at State House Saturday, Mnangagwa also highlighted the country's laws encouraged workers to freely engage.
Zimbabwean workers Saturday joined the rest of the world to commemorate Workers' Day at a time the country's workforce has seen incomes eroded by continued price increases coupled with a business that has been battered by an economically taxing Covid-19 pandemic.
Said the President, "In line with the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, Government, employers and workers alike, will continue to invest in occupational safety and health at the workplace.
"Over and above this, our laws encourage workers and employers to freely engage and associate.
"This is in-line with the Second Republic's culture of dialogue and deepening the practices of participatory democracy as well as good governance at the workplace.
"To this end, I also challenge employers and businesses to pursue more robust ways of addressing the welfare of workers."
The Zanu-PF led government has not had the best of relations with civil servants who have grumbled endlessly over "slave" wages by the country's biggest single employer.
Some government workers who have been demanding wage increases have often received threats to have their wages withheld if they withheld their services.
Leaders of the vocal Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions have also been subjected to arrests and accusations of subversion after they have called for stayaways over poor wages and price increases.
Mnangagwa chose to forget that, urging employers to treat their workers fairly.
"As we industrialise and modernise the economy, workers must be treated fairly, while multi skilling must be prioritised to meet new realities and demands in the world of work.
"Workers must shun and expose corruption, remain resilient and uphold the value of integrity and hard honest work, to grow every facet of our economy.
"Building a corrupt free and prosperous Zimbabwe is our responsibility together."
Addressing journalists at State House Saturday, Mnangagwa also highlighted the country's laws encouraged workers to freely engage.
Zimbabwean workers Saturday joined the rest of the world to commemorate Workers' Day at a time the country's workforce has seen incomes eroded by continued price increases coupled with a business that has been battered by an economically taxing Covid-19 pandemic.
Said the President, "In line with the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, Government, employers and workers alike, will continue to invest in occupational safety and health at the workplace.
"Over and above this, our laws encourage workers and employers to freely engage and associate.
"This is in-line with the Second Republic's culture of dialogue and deepening the practices of participatory democracy as well as good governance at the workplace.
"To this end, I also challenge employers and businesses to pursue more robust ways of addressing the welfare of workers."
Some government workers who have been demanding wage increases have often received threats to have their wages withheld if they withheld their services.
Leaders of the vocal Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions have also been subjected to arrests and accusations of subversion after they have called for stayaways over poor wages and price increases.
Mnangagwa chose to forget that, urging employers to treat their workers fairly.
"As we industrialise and modernise the economy, workers must be treated fairly, while multi skilling must be prioritised to meet new realities and demands in the world of work.
"Workers must shun and expose corruption, remain resilient and uphold the value of integrity and hard honest work, to grow every facet of our economy.
"Building a corrupt free and prosperous Zimbabwe is our responsibility together."
Source - newzimbabwe
