Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has said that it shall call for an indefinite mass job stayaway at the end of the month and advises Zimbabweans to stock up food and keep some money when they get paid in the next few weeks. Lovemore Matombo, the ZCTU president told unionists in Kadoma on Friday evening to "store a bucket of mealie meal and save a penny" in anticipation of an indefinite job action at the end of this month. He said labour would "withdraw its services" unless the fuel prices were reduced to previous levels. The government has in the past ridiculed the ZCTU's demand for cheaper fuel saying the union "was dreaming".
| "Us? Do something for you? We're the gummint here. We know what's best, so shut up and do as you're told!" |
Matombo accused the government of constantly taking labour for granted and disregarding its demands to peg the minimum wage at $125 000 per month. "It has always been futile talking to the government about workers' woes because they behave so inhumanely. It is like talking to an insensitive Chimpanzee — they feel no remorse about the current crisis," said Matombo. "But I promise you that if workers unite, we will tame the Chimpanzee. We want all workers to earn at least $125 000 by the end of June," Matombo said to a tumultuous approval from the 500 plus workers' representatives who braved the early winter evening chill to converge at Kadoma's Rimuka Stadium. "Even if there are state agents and the secret police among you, surely even the CIOs should by now know that the life workers are living is unsustainable and unpractical. How do you expect a worker who forks out at least $56 000 on transport fares a month to survive on a $47 000 pay?"
| Uh huh. And that's not adjusted for inflation (currently 228%)... |
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