HARARE, Apr. 29 (NewsDay Live) — The Progressive Retail and Wholesale Workers Union of Zimbabwe (PRWWUZ) has recast Workers’ Day as a day of mourning, citing rapidly worsening conditions across the retail and wholesale sector.
In its annual statement, PRWWUZ urged members to “commemorate” rather than celebrate May Day, describing a workforce pushed to the brink by low pay, insecure contracts and shrinking purchasing power.
General secretary Phillip K. Mafundu said many workers now “stay at home to cry and mourn” the hardship of earning a wage in the sector.
The union singled out Spar Zimbabwe, alleging union-busting, intimidation and victimisation of members. It claimed workers are denied company loans and cycled through short-term contracts in retaliation for union activity — practices it says entrench a “culture of fear.” Spar Zimbabwe had not responded to requests for comment.
PRWWUZ said the crisis extends beyond individual employers, pointing to structural pressures including the widening gap between the Zimbabwe Gold (ZWG) interbank rate and market prices, which it says is eroding real wages. Retail workers, it noted, increasingly cannot afford the goods they sell.
The union also accused the National Employment Council (NEC) for the commercial sector of lacking transparency, alleging wage decisions are made without clear worker representation.
PRWWUZ said it has applied to the Ministry of Labour to establish a dedicated NEC for retail and wholesale, arguing sector-specific bargaining would replace what it called the current “overly broad and chaotic” framework. A decision is expected soon.
Meanwhile, the union urged workers to remain lawful, citing provisions under Labour Amendment No. 11 of 2023, including the seven-day strike notice, and said it remains available to negotiate collective bargaining agreements at company level as it pushes for a standalone sector council.
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