All doom and gloom for Zimbabwean workers

ZAPU message on the occasion of May Day commemoration.

As the world observes another occasion of workers day, widely referred to as the May Day, the conditions in Zimbabwe could not be further from what this commemoration ought to stand for..

As others in different parts of the world remember, co-celebrate and champion workers' rights as well as take stock of achievements by workers, it is a different story in our country as  every day brings even more difficulties as the country continues on the economic downturn with the workers bearing the brunt of the hardships which come with the government mismanagement  and even those lucky enough to be in employment getting pay well below a living wage.

Pittance wages are not confined to any employment; both the private and civil sectors have seen the unrelenting corrosion of wages over a long period; the negligence and abdication of duty by the employers has reduced working conditions in all sectors to those akin to slavery.

Most undignified in this category are educators, who for the past few years now have spent more time on industrial action than in their noble duties owing to government's neglect and arrogance in addressing their valid grievances.

In vain, our civil servants, with special mention of teachers have requested the most basic of workers rights such as good and humane conditions of work, a basic living wage. They have been met with arrogance and also a peace meal negotiating initiative through a clearly  compromised tripartite  negotiating initiative. Pacification and deception on the government's part, a usual strategy of dividing to rule.

Also in a bad space are Zimbabwean migrant workers in different parts of the diaspora. Most are politically and economically  exiled nationals with no proper documentation which has exposed them to a number of problems especially in neighbouring South Africa where xenophobia and threats of it has been a constant problem for migrant workers. To add salt to the wound, the government of Zimbabwe recently hiked the price of the already out of reach passports. How irresponsible and uncaring.

We wish we could say Happy Workers Day but with such matters, we can only use this platform to rally every worker in every sector to demand their rights to a dignified living.

For Zimbabwe African People's Union
Iphithule Thembani Maphosa
zapuinformation@gmail.com
www.zapu.org