BETTER Zimbabwe Agenda chairman Obert Masaraure has accused the government of treating workers “as raw material to be exhausted” by a tenderpreneur elite, declaring May Day a turning point for mass mobilisation.
In a blistering Workers’ Day statement, Masaraure said the Zimbabwean worker is fighting “not just for wages, but for the right to exist” as a human being rather than as a natural resource for the elite.
“The skin colour of the master may have changed, but the weight of the boot remains the same,” he said.
Masaraure said nurses striking over empty drug shelves, teachers without chalk, students priced out of education and vendors fleeing police batons are all “being harvested” for a political aristocracy.
“The nurses’ strike is not a labour dispute. It is a humanitarian cry. When those saving lives cannot afford healthcare, the system is predatory,” he said, condemning threats against health workers.
Students are “workers in transition” denied a future by high fees and suspensions.
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“Any system that prices them out of education is manufacturing a generation condemned to precarity,” he added.
Masaraure touched on the Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Bill, calling it a “legislative cage” to shut workers out of power.
“Without democracy, there can be no workers’ justice.”
“There must be integrated devolution that aims to protect informal traders.
“Vendors are entrepreneurs, not criminals.”
Masaraure said the elite have divided workers for decades.
“We reject that. We are one class, one force,” he said.
“From this May, the grass has grown into a forest.
“We are mobilising for ‘one man, one vote’ as the foundation for decent jobs and freedom.
“The oppressor seeks profit. The oppressed seek life. We choose life.”
Legal think-tank Veritas Zimbabwe said civil servants constitute a high proportion of the formally-employed workforce, “but they cannot enjoy a healthy working environment” when they are undervalued and denied remuneration which reflects their immense contributions to national development.
It said despite the labour rights being constitutionally protected and cannot be taken away or diminished by ordinary laws, enforcement of the rights remained uneven, with many civil servants and other workers struggling for living wages and safe workplaces.
“When workers are forced to survive on wages that do not meet basic needs, the result is not only economic hardship but also psychosocial strain which erodes morale and undermines service delivery,” Veritas Zimbabwe said.
The organisation called on the government to pay civil servants salaries that are commensurate with their contributions, recognising their role as the backbone of education, healthcare, and governance; align all wages with international standards, ensuring that civil servants and other workers are not left behind in dignity and opportunity; and prioritise mental health and wellness in workplaces, acknowledging that economic justice is inseparable from psychosocial wellbeing.
The Zimbabwe Constitutional Movement (Zicomo), a grassroots movement established to promote and defend constitutional principles and democracy, said despite their invaluable contributions, the conditions faced by workers in Zimbabwe reflect a state of ongoing crisis.
“Workers are finding that their wages, which were once sufficient, now fail to keep pace with rising costs of living, meaning that they are able to purchase less and less each month.
“Additionally, the threat of rampant inflation has led to the erosion of pensions and savings previously set aside for retirement, leaving many to question their financial security as they age,” it said.
“Workplaces often present unsafe and unhealthy conditions, contributing to a diminished quality of life and increased risks.
“Moreover, the State has enacted laws that criminalise the right to strike, effectively suppressing workers’ voices and their ability to advocate for better conditions and wages.
“As a result, the youth of Zimbabwe are frequently confronted with an alarming rate of unemployment, leaving them without the opportunities necessary for growth and financial independence.”
Zicomo touched on the Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Bill, saying amendments should not be used as a tool to evade accountability.
“If passed, Amendment No. 3 has the potential to undermine Section 56, and would compromise the principle of equality before the law by further entrenching political privilege for a select few, thereby marginalising the rights of ordinary citizens.
“Further, the Bill will reduce citizen power by limiting the mechanisms through which citizens can hold their leaders accountable between elections diminishes democratic engagement and the capacity for public oversight.”
Zicomo urged all workers in Zimbabwe to protect and defend the Constitution, recognising the critical role it plays in safeguarding your rights as workers and citizens; organise and reject the amendments, saying the working class should take advantage of Section 59, which guarantees the freedom to demonstrate and petition.
It encouraged trade unions, residents’ associations, and churches to organise peaceful protests to collectively voice opposition to Constitutional Amendment No. 3 Bill.
Zicomo also urged workers to demand a referendum in line with Section 328 of the Constitution, which states that any amendments affecting fundamental rights and term limits require a national referendum.
“Workers must firmly assert: without a referendum, no amendment is acceptable.”