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Security Guards (Gweru, Harare, Kwekwe & Zvishavane campuses)

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Finance Manager Corporate (Harare)

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has said the country’s “unprecedented rejuvenation and economic growth” must cascade to the workers.
In his speech to commemorate International Workers’ Day, the president applauded the pivotal role played by workers in transforming Zimbabwe and the continent at large. He said:
<blockquote>
Fellow Zimbabweans, I join you in commemorating Workers’ Day, a day set aside to globally to recognise, celebrate and honour the contribution of workers in the socio-economic development of our societies.
Equally we celebrate Workers’ Day this year at the tail end of a week we successfully hosted the 6th edition of the Transform Africa Summit in Victoria Falls and the 63rd edition of the ZITF in Bulawayo.
Those two events brought to the fore the increased critical role played by workers in fast-transforming Zimbabwe and Africa. The economy is experiencing an unprecedented rejuvenation and growth despite the albatross of illegal sanctions by some western countries. In this regard the projected economic growth of 3.8 percent is above regional average.
Besides attainment of food security and sovereignty, the massive infrastructure construction inclusive of dams, roads, schools, clinics, and now factories are a result of the contribution by our workers. Your resilience is highly commended.
</blockquote>
The president also said the Zimbabwean government is set to launch a formalisation strategy to address decent work deficits in the informal sector, recognizing the plight of informal sector workers and aiming to leave no one and no place behind. He said:
<blockquote>
The strategy is envisaged to deal with lack of occupational safety and health, exclusion from social protection and irregular employment relationships in the informal sector. Fellow Zimbabweans as we celebrate May Day we also take a moment to remember fellow workers who were injured, died, or face diseases resulting from unsafe work environment, our aim is zero harm at the workplace.
My government, therefore, attaches great priority to the conclusion of the draft labour bill on occupational safety and health with a view to providing a legal framework that addresses the challenges of occupational safety and health in our country.
</blockquote>
President Mnangagwa has called on employers to fairly reward workers, as the country’s economic growth should transform the workers’ quality of life. He emphasized the importance of innovative strategies to ensure workers are fairly compensated and have hope for the future.
The government has also created a blueprint to protect workers against unfair labour practices through the Labor Amendment Bill, which is expected to be finalized before the end of the year.
The Zimbabwean government has over the years received criticism for <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2023/04/23/civil-servants-reject-100-salary-increment/">low worker salaries and wages</a>, leading to strikes by teachers, doctors, and nurses who demand better pay and working conditions. Though the government has increased wages, many workers insist that the hikes are insufficient to match the high cost of living, worsened by economic challenges such as inflation, causing even more concern and frustration among Zimbabweans.
<h2><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h2>

Pindula News

"Our Economic Growth Must Cascade To The Workers" - President Mnangagwa

The <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Zimbabwe_National_Statistics_Agency_(ZIMSTAT)">Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT)</a> has reported that more males (54.6%) are either employed or actively seeking employment compared to females (34.7%). The labour force participation rate measures the percentage of people in the working-age population who are employed or seeking employment. In a statement released to commemorate International Workers’ Day, ZIMSTAT reported that Bulawayo had the highest <a class="Markdown_link__9ACHA MarkdownLink_linkifiedLink__KxC9G">labour force participation rate</a> among Zimbabwe’s provinces at 65.1%. Reads the statement:
<blockquote>
<h2>INTERNATIONAL WORKERS’ DAY STATEMENT</h2>
The Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) joins the nation in celebrating International Workers’ Day. ZIMSTAT produces quarterly labour statistics focusing on employment status, income levels and labour underutilization. These indicators are valuable in the compilation of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and enable Government and other stakeholders to formulate economic policies.
The 2023 First Quarter Quarterly Labour Force Survey results revealed the following:
a) Labour force participation rate is higher for males (54.6%) compared to females (34.7%). Labour force participation rate measures the proportion of persons in working age population who are in labour force.
b) At provincial level, Bulawayo had the highest labour force participation rate of 65.1 percent.
c) Employment absorption rate is higher for working age population in urban areas (48.8%) than in rural areas (27.5%). Therefore, chances of getting employment for persons in urban areas is higher than in rural areas.
d) Employment to population ratio, which is the proportion of working age population in employment, was 39.3% for females in urban areas and 19.7% for females in rural areas.
e) The agriculture, forestry and fishing industry had the highest proportion of employed persons (24.9%) percent followed by wholesale and retail trade, sale and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles industry (23.9%). Other sectors accounted for 48.8% of total employment.
</blockquote>
The detailed report for the first quarter of the 2023 <a class="Markdown_link__9ACHA MarkdownLink_linkifiedLink__KxC9G">Quarterly Labour Force Survey</a> is accessible at <a class="Markdown_link__9ACHA" href="http://www.zimstat.co.zw/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">www.zimstat.co.zw</a>.
<h2><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h2>

Workers' Day: More Males Are Employed Than Females - ZIMSTAT

The Zimbabwe Diamond Miners and Allied Minerals Workers Union (ZDAMWU) has highlighted that Workers’ Day serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by working people and the poor in Zimbabwe. These challenges hinder <a class="Markdown_link__9ACHA MarkdownLink_linkifiedLink__KxC9G">sustainable human development</a>.
In a statement seen by Pindula News, the union specifically mentioned the plight of retired mine workers living in poverty, former workers of <a class="Markdown_link__9ACHA MarkdownLink_linkifiedLink__KxC9G">closed mines</a> being harassed and evicted, and <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Mbada_Diamonds_Private_Limited">Mbada Diamonds</a> workers who lost employment in <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Chiadzwa">Chiyadzwa</a> and are yet to receive their terminal benefits. The union said it remembers the Zimbabwean working class who have fought for a democratic, prosperous, and united nation.
ZDAMWU’s General Secretary, Justice Chinhema said the union understands that <a class="Markdown_link__9ACHA MarkdownLink_linkifiedLink__KxC9G">workplace struggles</a> cannot be isolated from broader <a class="Markdown_link__9ACHA MarkdownLink_linkifiedLink__KxC9G">social struggles</a> and that <a class="Markdown_link__9ACHA MarkdownLink_linkifiedLink__KxC9G">economic justice</a> and equality cannot be achieved without national liberation.
He said they are pushing the agenda of empowering mine workers and ensuring they have <a class="Markdown_link__9ACHA MarkdownLink_linkifiedLink__KxC9G">living standards</a> that match the value of their work adding that this will lead to real transformation. He said:
<blockquote>
 This is a day that evokes the memorable thoughts of Karl Marx, who called on workers of the world to unite, for they had “nothing to lose but their chains”. The celebrations that mark 1 May, which are held universally on what some people call Labour Day, or Workers Day lead one to think of the billions of people on this planet who, day in and day out, work to keep the wheels of industry turning – mining, agriculture, the trades and other avenues of working life. This is also a moment to reflect on the inequalities and exploitation which, in various theatres of the world, still grossly prejudice working people in their daily lives and further serve to impoverish the poor especially. To mark this day, we acknowledge that those who celebrated it in the past were committed to achieving a better world, with decent jobs, less hours of work and improved wages.
</blockquote>
Workers’ Day is close to the World Day for Safety and Health at Work, which was on April 28, 2023. This day encourages people to prevent work-related incidents and diseases and raises awareness about the magnitude of work-related injuries, diseases, and fatalities worldwide. It is also the day when the <a class="Markdown_link__9ACHA MarkdownLink_linkifiedLink__KxC9G">trade union movement</a> holds its <a class="Markdown_link__9ACHA MarkdownLink_linkifiedLink__KxC9G">International Commemoration Day</a> for Dead and Injured Workers to honour victims of <a class="Markdown_link__9ACHA MarkdownLink_linkifiedLink__KxC9G">occupational incidents</a> and diseases.
Chinhema said in Zimbabwe, an alarming trend shows that <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2023/03/16/two-more-die-at-scott-sakupwanyas-mine-as-secret-mining-continues/">almost one miner dies every week,</a> which is concerning. He said it’s regrettable because mines are expected to have the necessary measures and expertise to improve health and safety. In 2020, 182 mineworkers died from 116 mining accidents. However, in 2021, there was a decrease in both accidents and fatalities compared to the previous year, with 121 accidents and 139 fatalities. As of September 30, 2022, there were 125 accidents and 139 fatalities. The largest <a class="Markdown_link__9ACHA MarkdownLink_linkifiedLink__KxC9G">accident category</a> and the leading cause of fatalities are fall-of-ground accidents, followed by transportation and machinery accidents. More deaths in the industry are due to <a class="Markdown_link__9ACHA MarkdownLink_linkifiedLink__KxC9G">occupational health diseases</a> than occupational injuries. Chinhema added:
<blockquote>
The health impacts are visible only long after the exposure, hence the tendency for miners not to be given the immediate attention they deserve. Exposure to silica dust is the main concern, as it leads to silicosis and, as we all know, that leads to lung cancer. It further predisposes miners to tuberculosis, and TB has thus remained a challenge in the mining industry. HIV/Aids has increased the incidence of TB substantially. Lastly, there is noise exposure, leading to noise-induced hearing loss, as it results in permanent disability and incapacitation…
Today, some mine workers continue to endure harsh working conditions, including, crowded living in dilapidated old houses, inhabitant houses made of corrugated sheets, plastics, timber, and separation from their family members to live in barracks. Even this sector’s commitment to the development of communities where mining is taking place or affected by mining is questionable. This must change- community development must be seen happening. 
</blockquote>
Chinhema stated that mine workers are vital to any economy and their welfare should be a priority. He said mine workers currently earn very low wages which are not commensurate with the value of production and minerals mined. Therefore, there is nothing to celebrate but instead, efforts should be made towards real transformation.
He said as drivers of economic growth, it’s important to communicate to the government and employers in the sector that true development can only be achieved by empowering mine workers. Chinhema said real economic development is when mine workers are empowered and earn a living wage that reflects the value of minerals mined.
<a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a>

Workers' Day A Reminder Of Challenges Faced By Working, Poor Zimbabweans - ZDAMWU

Workers have accused the Government of failing to fulfil numerous promises it has made over the years on improved wages and conditions of service.
On Sunday, 1 May, the country commemorated the International Workers Day, which is celebrated globally on 1 May.
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) held the main Workers Day celebrations at Chemhanza Stadium in Dzivarasekwa, Harare, where Public Service and Social Welfare Minister Paul Mavima was the guest of honour.
Speaking in an interview with NewsDay on Monday, 2 May, ZCTU secretary-general Japhet Moyo said that workers are now tired of empty promises. Moyo said:
<blockquote>
They only speak without taking action. They promised free education, free healthcare, and free electricity, but those promises have not been fulfilled.
Trade unionists have been criminalised and whenever workers try to demonstrate, they are arrested.
Workers are not politicians, but they will be demonstrating for their tummies.
We are happy that Mavima graced our celebrations because previously, the government would send junior officials.
</blockquote>
Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) president Obert Masaraure also bemoaned the Government’s broken promises. Sad Masaraure:
<blockquote>
As teachers, we have never been treated well by the government, which has never fulfilled its promises.
We are now going into the second term and our children are being chased away from school despite government promises to pay fees for them.
We have written twice to the government over the payment of school fees for teachers’ children, but they (authorities) have responded by saying they are on it.
</blockquote>
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Takavafira Zhou said that last term the Government failed to release the $20 000 for school fees for teachers’ children. He said:
<blockquote>
The issue of assistance for three children of a teacher with school fees amounting to $20 000 each per term is long overdue as we are entering the second term without any fruition.
The earlier government deposits the money, which has now accumulated to $40 000 per child (for two terms), into teachers’ accounts the better.
</blockquote>
Schools open on Tuesday, 2 May for the second term but teachers are demanding to be paid the pre-October 2018 salary of US$540 per month.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2022/05/we-dont-eat-empty-promises-as-teachers-down-tools/">NewsDay</a></h4>

Workers "Tired" Of Government's Empty Promises

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has bemoaned poor remuneration and deteriorating working conditions for the majority of workers ahead of the 2022 Workers Day commemorations.
ZCTU’s national organiser, Michael Kandukutu said the local commemorations will be held under the theme, “Restoration of Workers Dignity“.
Speaking to NewZimbabwe.com, Kandukutu claimed that workers don’t have the right to strike as long the Labour Act Chapter 28:01 has not been realigned to the constitution. He said:
<blockquote>
In crafting this year’s theme, with the main even pencilled to take place at Dzivarasekwa stadium, there is the realisation that workers’ standard of living has ghastly gone down, owing to the slave wages that they are earning on the back of the prevailing environment which is not conducive for collective bargaining.
There can be no meaningful collective bargaining when workers do not have the right to strike.
Some may argue that we do have the right to strike in the Constitution, however, a close look will show you that the Labor Act Chapter 28:01 and other enabling pieces of legislation have not been realigned to the constitution and thus opens up workers to the kind of abuse that we are seeing today.
</blockquote>
Kandukutu said 2021 had been one of the most difficult years for workers due to COVID-19-induced hardships that drove more workers deeper into poverty.
He said it is unfair to continue paying workers their wages in Zimbabwe dollars in a wholly dollarised economy.
The majority of Zimbabwean workers, including civil servants, are paid salaries way below the Total Consumption Poverty Line.
The world over, the Workers Day is commemorated on 1 May each year.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/zctu-bemoans-wage-theft-ahead-of-may-1-commemorations/">NewZimbabwe.com</a></h4>

ZCTU Decries Wage Theft Ahead Of Workers' Day

The government has said today, that is, Monday, 3 May 2021 is not a public holiday but a normal working day.
There has been confusion regarding this year’s Labour Day which fell on a weekend, Saturday, 1 May 2021.
Some people speculated that since the public holiday fell on a weekend, the following Monday would automatically be a holiday. This isn’t true.
A Monday can only be a holiday if the public holiday falls on a Sunday, not Saturday as was the case with the International Workers’ Day.
The Ministry of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage has cleared the air over the issue. It said in a statement:
<blockquote>A lot of enquiries have been made regarding whether tomorrow, 3 May 2021, is a public holiday. This follows the International Labour Day (Workers Day) commemoration which was held yesterday, Saturday 1 May 2021.
Kindly be advised that tomorrow will be a working day. Section 1(i) of the Public Holidays and Prohibition of Business Act [Chapter 10:21] provides that:
“When a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the Monday following shall be a public holiday.”</blockquote>

Monday Is Not A Public Holiday - Govt Clarifies

MDC Alliance president Nelson Chamisa on Saturday said employers must pay their workers in United States dollars, saying they deserve a decent wage.
In a message to commemorate International Workers’ Day which falls on 1 May every year, Chamisa also said his party will join the country’s impoverished workers in fighting for political, economic and social justice. He tweeted:
<blockquote>Give workers’ salaries in US dollars. Saluting the labour that built up this land and those who work to make Zimbabwe a great country.
Without labour nothing flourishes. We join workers of Zimbabwe to fight for political, economic and social justice. Workers deserve a decent wage.</blockquote>
Chamisa’s remarks come when there is a raging debate over the payment of salaries in the local currency at a time most goods and services are priced in foreign currency.
Fuel, for instance, is predominantly sold in foreign currency while government employees are paid in Zimbabwe dollars.
Zimbabwean workers were remunerated in US dollars during the inclusive government era between 2009 and 2013 when the MDC was in the executive arm of the government.
However, following the introduction of the much-derided bond notes, the value of workers’ salaries have gradually been eroded to a fraction of their value before October 2018 when authorities effectively “de-dollarised” the bond note.

Chamisa Says Workers Must Be Paid US Dollar Salaries

Statement by MDC-T Secretary Information and Publicity Witness Dube in celebration of International Workers’ Day.
Fellow Zimbabweans, we join the world and the nation in commemorating this great day dedicated to recognizing the working community.
We want to take this opportunity to salute the few Zimbabweans that still remain in formal work in whatever little is still left of our once-thriving industry.
The hard work, resilience and commitment of our civil servants against a background of meagre salaries and little recognition are quite commendable.
The huge sacrifices that those working formally and informally make every day to look after their families and keep what is left of our economy ticking are also worth a special salute.
The efforts of millions of informal traders and vendors now eking out an honest living on the pavements of our streets, will also not go unnoticed.
Every breadwinner, who is working hard to feed their families is worth being called a hero today.
This message is incomplete if we fail to recognize those of our countrymen and women in the Diaspora working hard to send a dime for the upkeep of the families back home.
We believe that there are no responsibilities without rights.
The MDC-T and its leaders want to assure you that you will one day be granted your right to vote.
As we commemorate this day, let us spare a thought on the sad national predicament of our jobless sons and daughters in and around our own homes; the unemployed University graduates who cannot find a job in the country of their birth and are looking at the slightest opportunity to leave the country.
Fellow Zimbabweans, we can only be able to fight unemployment, poverty and inequalities if we put our differences aside and sit down together to find lasting solutions which can extricate our country from its parlous predicament.
It is upon us as Zimbabweans to put our country first ahead of our personal self-aggrandizing interests.
Together we can make Zimbabwe great again.
May God bless all workers in Zimbabwe on this workers’ day.

MDC-T Commemorates International Workers' Day

Statement by the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights in commemoration of International Workers’ Day.
ON International Workers’ Day, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) calls upon state and non-state actors to honour workers and celebrate their achievements in advancing labour rights.
ZLHR also congratulates the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) on reaching its 40th anniversary and commends its commitment to fighting for political, economic and social justice in Zimbabwe over the past 40 years.
International Workers’ Day is commemorated every year in Zimbabwe on 1 May and it aims to celebrate workers, their achievements and the successes of labour movements in expanding workers’ rights across the globe.
The day is an opportunity to reflect on the fundamental rights and protections that have been won by labour movements and trade unions.
These achievements include minimum wages, paid sick leave and paid holidays.
It is also an opportunity for workers to exercise their rights to peacefully lobby policymakers for fair wages and better working conditions.
In the context of Zimbabwe, this day is an opportunity for all persons to urge policymakers to align Zimbabwe’s labour laws with international labour standards, for the benefit of all workers.
Workers have a right to be provided with opportunities to work in their freely chosen fields and work that will allow them to secure a decent living, in terms of section 24(1) of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.
Government is obliged to adopt reasonable measures and policies, within the limits of its resources, to ensure that this right is fulfilled, according to the section.
The right to work opportunities that can support a decent standard of living is closely linked to the right to human dignity, which is one of the founding values of Zimbabwe under the Constitution.
The inherent dignity of each worker entitles them to humane working conditions and fair pay.
In the context of Zimbabwe, fair pay should take inflation into account and reflect the real cost of living.
This means that workers are entitled to pay that actually covers their essential needs, despite the presence of a minimum wage that might not realistically cover those needs.
The protection of workers’ rights to fair pay and humane working conditions is necessary for the advancement of socio-economic justice and the full exercise of their other rights under the Constitution.
The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted the lives of many workers in Zimbabwe, with many workers being forced out of employment due to the mandatory closure of some businesses by the government, in an attempt to contain the deadly virus.
The resultant unemployment has caused a drastic deterioration of the living standards of many families within the country.
The lack of a source of income has left many people in the country economically vulnerable and in desperate need of aid.
It is in this context that the state is urged to come up with robust relief mechanisms that will alleviate the plight of the numerous workers that have been forced out of employment by the coronavirus pandemic.
The state is also urged to ensure that the workers who remain employed are provided with the necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and access to vaccines so that that they are protected from coronavirus.
On this International Workers’ Day, ZLHR calls upon:
<ul>
<li>State actors and non-state actors to honour workers and celebrate their achievements in advancing labour rights,</li>
<li>All members of society to join ZCTU in celebrating its 40th anniversary,</li>
<li>All members of society to lobby policymakers to align Zimbabwe’s labour laws with international labour law standards,</li>
<li>The state to take reasonable measures and policies, within the limits of its resources, to fulfil its obligation to provide work opportunities that can support a decent standard of living,</li>
<li>Government to ensure that workers work in humane conditions,</li>
<li>The state to satisfy workers’ demands for fair pay which takes inflation into account and reflects the real cost of living,</li>
<li>Government to set up robust relief mechanisms to support workers who have been forced out of employment by the coronavirus,</li>
<li>The state to ensure that all workers are adequately protected from coronavirus by providing them with sufficient PPE and vaccines.</li>
</ul>
ENDS
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights

FULL TEXT: Human Rights Lawyers Statement On Workers' Day

Statement by the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) president Richard Gundane in commemoration of International Workers Day.
It is MAY DAY. A day that we ordinarily celebrate and chronicle the achievements of the workers. We are supposed to celebrate all the way and to plan ahead as motivated workers of this country, but that phenomenon all relates to the past. It’s a BLACK MAY DAY for us.
Today, this day of 1 MAY 2021, workers who are called, educators, heads of schools and teachers are operating in distress and under duress. The work that they normally do as a calling is no longer fit to be classified as a noble profession.
In education, all personnel and educators are incapacitated to deliver their duties. Public schooling systems and teachers which until recently were admired by the rest of the African continent as a good example of how to deliver quality public education are fast deteriorating into unimaginable stories and things, because the educators who normally superintend and ensure quality learning and teaching exists are longer able to do so.
They are incapacitated and struggle to represent themselves as the epitome of professional educators. 
The employer for educators has consistently failed to reward educators adequately.
This May Day we decry the lack of recognition and poor remuneration from our employer. It’s a BLACK DAY. There is nothing to celebrate when educators plead incapacitation year in and year out, and without recourse, we are doomed!
However, we take note of the efforts made by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on education which has provided a listening ear and grasped the fact that educators need to have correct collective bargaining legislation in place if they are to achieve desired results.
Educators demand strong social dialogue processes that work. We need to have our RIGHTS to collective bargaining respected.
We demand to have a restoration of salaries and a requisite road map to achieve the 2018 salary levels. Our sector-specific allowances must be in place today and that way we can guarantee a balance between labour rights and children’s rights to education.
It’s a BLACK DAY. NO CELEBRATIONS for EDUCATORS this labour DAY.
We remain emboldened to continue the struggle.
The Struggle Continues
Richard Gundane 
President

No Celebrations For Teachers This Labour Day

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) on Friday said workers have no reason to commemorate this year’s Workers Day as most of them are now living from hand to mouth.
International Workers’ Day is commemorated every 1 May.
ZCTU western region chairperson Ambrose Sibindi said as the economy continues to haemorrhage jobs, coupled with ill-treatment by employers, poor remuneration and economic challenges, workers have no incentive to celebrate Labour Day. Said Sibindi:
<blockquote>Honestly, there is nothing to celebrate, we are only celebrating the lives that God has given to us and honouring the national day because it is there. We are just doing it out of respect.
Most of the workers are earning a paltry $10 000, which is a disgrace. This shows that workers are in a very difficult situation.
Those who are working hardly get their salaries and some can even go for three months without being paid.</blockquote>
Sibindi observed that some workers work in unsafe environments while vendors are harassed every day. He said:
<blockquote>Some of the companies do not adhere to COVID-19 regulations, especially in small mines; workers go to work without proper PPE (personal protective equipment). The workers are told that the economy is bad.
Workers are harassed every day, especially the vendors who do not have proper places to work from, so I don’t see what they are celebrating.</blockquote>
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2021/05/no-reason-to-celebrate-workers-day/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">NewsDay</a></h4>

'Zimbabwean Workers Have No Reason To Celebrate'

The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe has reiterated its call for USD-indexed salaries for teachers, saying the usual 1:3 salary ratio for teachers and lecturers that usually prevailed under the late former President Robert Mugabe’s regime has been discarded.
In a statement to mark the May 1 Workers’ Day commemorations on Friday, PTUZ president Takavafara Zhou said teachers have been pushed into penury and can no longer afford to pay for electricity and water bills, rent, feed families or pay for medical bills and the education of their children. Said Zhou:
<blockquote>We are aware that government is currently pre-occupied with the COVID-19 pandemic effects, yet sound government thrust must be on these key issues: the restoration of teachers’ salaries and purchasing power parity must never be relegated.
The payment of an average of US$520 that a teacher earned in 2018 or its interbank rate equivalence is long overdue.
Not only has government presided over inordinate price increases, but it has also created unimaginable salary discrepancies that cumulatively have pushed teachers into poverty and penury.</blockquote>
Zhou asserted that it was not fair that university lecturers were earning over $27 000 while teachers earn only $3 000.
He further alleged that that top government employees earn more than 18 times the salary of a teacher.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2020/05/teachers-press-for-us-dollar-salaries/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NewsDay</a></h4>

'It's Not Fair That Lecturers Earn $27 000 While Teachers Get $3 000'

The Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) secretary, Dr Norman Matara argues that the Health Services Board (HSB) should be disbanded.
In his International Workers Day statement posted on Twitter, Dr Matara said the HSB should be replaced with a Health Service Commission whose board members, who will be non-executive, will be appointed through an open, competitive process. <a href="https://twitter.com/drnmatara/status/1256227318034567173" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Below is the statement</a>:
<blockquote>As today is International Workers Day, this thread is about the Health Services Board (HSB) and its passive or active role in the perennial health worker industrial actions and poor remuneration of health professionals in Zimbabwe. The HSB is the big elephant in the room.
… The Health Services Board became operational on June 1, 2005, through Statutory Instrument 88B of 2005 under the Health Services Act (Chapter 15:16 No. 28/2004). All health workers in the public sector were then moved from the Public Service Commission to the HSB.
The mission of the HSB reads: Guided by World Class Standards, seeks 2provide an Efficient, Effective &amp;Responsive Health Service Delivery System through Well-Motivated, Trained &amp;Dedicated staff. Values:Professionalism, Accessibility,Transparency,Integrity, Innovation &amp; Equity.
The government mandated HSB with making appointments, grading, fixing conditions of service for health workers, investigating complaints made by health workers, supervising and monitoring hospital management boards and assisting in mobilising resources for the sector.
Instead, this bloated board has just served individual interests. Giving themselves hefty allowances, buying top of the range cars for HSB executives, leaving health workers earning less than an equivalent of 150USD per month with no meaningful attempt to improve conditions of service.
The recurrence of industrial actions in the health sector points to an absolute failure in the HSB conceptual framework as well as the inability or unwillingness of the Minister of Health &amp; the HSB office bearers to properly and fully discharge their duties as set in the Health Services Act.
Major weaknesses in the Health Services Act include that the Minister of Health and Child Care is empowered to appoint office bearers of the HSB; direct policy decisions; recognise or revoke representation of health worker associations, and appoint hospital management boards.
The HSB, therefore, lacks independence as its office bearers are appointed, and beholden to the Minister of Health and Child Care.
This lack of autonomy of the HSB from the Ministry severely compromises the quality of decisions that the HSB makes and has a negative impact on the calibre of the health services bipartite negotiating panel as loyalty to the minister can be rewarded by appointment of health workers’ representatives with obscure constituencies and self motives.
The HSB bipartite negotiating panel has had some representatives of health workers (HWs) who have been reappointed by the minister since 2008 and whose mandate from their respective associations is highly questionable.
The board does not have the capacity to make independent decisions that have a bearing on the welfare of HWs. Any decisions that result in increased resources required from the Consolidated Revenue Fund must be approved by the Ministry of Finance.
The requirement renders any negotiations between the HSB and HWs meaningless as they do not have any specific fiscal allocations that address HWs welfare.
Any financial agreement between HWs and the HSB will need to undergo a long, bureaucratic and I’ll define the process of seeking Treasury agreement from the Ministry of Finance.
SOLUTION: Disband the HSB and pave way for a Health Service Commission. The new HSC must have non-executive board members who are appointed through an open, competitive process supervised by Parliament and involving the Minister of Health and Child Care in an advisory role.
The minister of health must have NO role in deciding which HWs association are present in the bipartite negotiating forum. This will ensure the appointment of genuine HWs who offer constructive criticism and communicate the true level of motivation or despair of HWs.
The proposed HSC must have clearly defined and fixed tenure, retirement age commensurate with the public service regulations and should adopt a results-based monitoring framework to guide appointments and reappointments.
The current situation with the HSB has seen recycling of old board members who are well past retirement age with executive appointment benefits and packages, a waste of taxpayers money.
Though the HSB was established with good intentions, results on the ground have shown that it has dismally failed its mandate. HWs strikes continue to be the order of the day. It has become a useless board only good in chowing taxpayer money and should be disbanded asap…</blockquote>

FULL THREAD: Reasons Why The Health Services Board Should Be Disbanded

<blockquote>ZLHR SOLIDARITY STATEMENT ON INTERNATIONAL WORKERS DAY
ON INTERNATIONAL Workers Day, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) stands in solidarity with the working and unemployed masses in Zimbabwe in calling for a better and more dignified life for all.
Observed globally every year on 1 May, International Workers Day celebrates the accomplishments and contributions that workers make towards efforts to achieve the sustainable development of the world and presents an opportunity to reflect on the challenges faced by workers.
In 2020, International Workers Day is being commemorated at an extremely distressing moment when workers, employers, governments and societies worldwide are grappling with the massive challenge of combating the coronavirus epidemic, which has resulted in some fatalities and drastically affected people’s working routines and at times their ability to work.
In the face of the coronavirus, ensuring safety and health at work is indispensable in the management of the deadly pandemic and to prevent and control the risk of contagion, psycho-social risks and other work-related safety and health risks associated with the epidemic.
In Zimbabwe, it is saddening that ZLHR had to resort to instituting legal action to compel the government to provide personal protective equipment, clothing, and other accessories to frontline medical workers and other supporting workers who are working tirelessly in helping to combat the spread of coronavirus.
Over the last year, in curtailment of their fundamental rights and freedoms, several trade union leaders have been prosecuted and persecuted as authorities disregard workers’ rights.
In both the public and private sector, government and employers have been notorious for turning their backs on workers as they continue to earn slave wages that do not allow them and their families to live above the poverty datum line.
The informal sector, which has absorbed the bulk of former and potential workers, who have failed to secure employment in the formal sector over the years, is under unprecedented threat as local and central government actors team up to summarily demolish some informal traders’ market stalls without following the principles of natural justice thereby depriving them of their only source of livelihood.
The actions by local and central government operatives are in clear violation of the law as the authorities have not given the required notice to informal traders in terms of the Urban Councils Act, and have not given them an opportunity to contest the legality of the actions through courts of law.
While local and central government bureaucrats have advanced a whole miscellany of reasons and official explanations behind the demolitions, the timing and magnitude are morally and legally wrong.
Moreover, notwithstanding the legality or otherwise of these actions, the manner of the demolitions is grossly and unjustifiably inhumane and amounts to inhuman or degrading treatment of citizens in contravention of section 53 of the Constitution.
The actions by local councils and government have precipitated a humanitarian crisis at a time when workers and their families are grappling with the coronavirus pandemic, where people’s livelihoods are severely compromised with severe food shortages and rising unemployment levels.
Instead of guaranteeing the right to the tenancy of informal traders, who in some instances are licensed and have been paying levies, local authorities have negated their contractual obligations and have in fact been complicit in the open and criminal facilitation of the demolition of vendors’ market stalls and the concomitant destruction of livelihoods.
The deprivation of the right to property guaranteed under section 71 of the Constitution and the violation of the right to freedom of profession, trade or occupation provided in section 64 of the Constitution under the veil of “helping to prevent the spread of coronavirus” violates the economic and social rights of informal traders and their families, as they are being deprived of their only source of income and livelihood.
In addition, Article 22 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, to which Zimbabwe is a state party, guarantees all people the right to economic and social development.
Accordingly, ZLHR calls upon;
• Government to fully implement the High Court order and provide personal protective equipment, clothing, and other accessories to frontline medical practitioners; 
• Local and central government to immediately halt all the demolitions of informal traders’ market stalls and workspaces until such time as a planned and humane relocation can take place; 
• Government to allow a full and independent audit of the consequences of the demolitions and to investigate all allegations of unlawful deprivation of property and to prosecute all alleged offenders; 
• Local and central government to provide full compensation to all persons whose property was demolished; 
• All employers and government to pay all workers a minimum living wage above the Poverty Datum Line and improve their working conditions including access to health-care. 
• Government and the legislature to immediately align all labour laws with the Constitution, which has been outstanding for several years. 
• Government to stop the prosecution and persecution of bonafide trade unionists for exercising their labour rights and fundamental rights and freedoms.
Qina Sisebenzi Qina! Shinga Mushandi Shinga! Long live Zimbabwean Workers!</blockquote>

FULL TEXT: ZLHR Solidarity Statement On International Workers Day

The ruling party in Zimbabwe, ZANU PF, has said that the International Workers Day, the 1st of May, was a reminder of several challenges which workers face.
The party also applauded formal and informal workers’ resilience exhibited even during trying times. In a statement, the party said:
<blockquote>On this day, as the revolutionary party, born out of the struggles of the masses of our people and the hard-working men and women, we celebrate the role that workers have played year in and year out, formally and informally to keep our nation going. 
We also on this day, pay gratitude to various workers’ movements that have remained steadfast in working with the Government and the party to advance workers’ rights and social justice. 
The day is equally a reminder of the many challenges that still confront working people and the masses of our nation which our Government is fighting to address despite the devastating socio-economic impact of illegal sanctions imposed by the hostile countries that have a history of oppressing workers and the poor.</blockquote>
Public workers have often clashed with the employer, the government, over measly salaries they are getting amid soaring inflation.
More: <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/zanu-pf-hails-workers/">The Herald</a>

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