Zimbabwe’s main labour union begins on Friday a two-day meeting to decide whether to go ahead with planned mass strikes to protest against galloping inflation and grinding poverty.
”We have already indicated our strike options and this will be a major talking point because of high inflation which” forces more people into poverty as rapidly rising prices erode the buying power of wages, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions president Lovemore Matombo told Agence France-Presse.
Zimbabweans are battling to make ends meet as the country goes through its seventh consecutive year of economic recession and astronomical inflation, which hit an all-time world record rate of 1 042,9% last week.
At least 80% of the country lives below the poverty threshold which stands at Zim$38-million ($375), according to the Central Statistical Office.
Earlier this month Zimbabwean labour and civic groups vowed to take to the streets to protest worsening hardship under the rule of President Robert Mugabe, at the helm since independence from Britain in 1980.
”Our strike option is still very open which will be targeted at business,” said ZCTU deputy general secretary Collen Gwiyo.
”But the real fight will begin in June, especially for the banking sector when the annual collective bargaining begins.”
However, Mugabe has warned the opposition and rights activists that they will be playing with ”fire” if they engage in protests against his government.
The ZCTU has been engaged in discussions with the government and business for the past five months to obtain wages sufficient to cushion workers against the spiralling cost of living, but the talks have been fruitless so far.
Last Thursday, the three parties failed to sign an agreement after businesses protested that the government was siding with labour.
”Business also believes that in determining wages, there are universal factors, which are taken into consideration among which are the poverty datum line, ability to pay, productivity and inflation,” said Mike Bimha, president of the Employers Confederation of Zimbabwe.
”Business believes that the management of prices is an issue currently receiving active consideration through the National Economic Development Priority Programme,” he said.
The programme is an economic blueprint launched last month to revive the moribund economy.
The Southern African nation is in the throes of an economic crisis characterised not only by hyperinflation but also by widespread unemployment, and chronic shortages of fuel and basic goods.
Independent forecasts estimate Zimbabwe’s unemployment rate is above 80%, but the government insists that only nine percent is unemployed. – Sapa-AFP