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Innocent Ruwende, Harare Bureau
WORKERS’ unions have called for the resumption of Tripartite Negotiating Forum to address the eroded workers’ salaries following a pricing discord which has left many workers exposed to poverty.

Spokesperson for six affiliates of the Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions, Mr Bernard Dhanda said they have agreed that next week they will write to the Labour and Social Welfare Minister for the urgent resumption of the TNF to address the workers’ salaries issue.

The unions include the Zimbabwe Urban and Rural Council Workers Union, Zimbabwe Horticulture Agro-industries and General Agricultural Workers’ Union, Progressive Engineering Metal Trades and Allied workers Union of Zimbabwe, Tourism and Catering Workers Union of Zimbabwe, Private Security Workers Union, Pharmaceutical and Allied Workers Union and Progressive Commercial Allied and Trades Workers Union.

“This morning (yesterday) unions agreed that demonstrations will be a waste of time as dialogue may do wonders in our situation because the workers have their salaries’ buying power wiped out by the unrealistic pricing regime prevailing across all the sectors of our economy,” he said.

“If nothing is done now, the situation will be out of hand as workers can no longer manage to report for duty up to end of November. The union agreed that workers need protection from the State through either engaging employers to negotiate for a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) or a statutory instrument to introduce a COLA by the Minister of labour across the board.”

He said workers want negotiations to take place as a matter of urgency to alleviate further suffering and loss of workforce to other countries where there is value for their labour.

Mr Dhanda said it was very sad that the local employers could display such high levels of greed without considering the plight of their employees.

“The onus now lies with the State to protect its working people who are just working far below the actual cost of labour and the poverty datum line. It is really useless to continue going to work where at the end of the month salaries cannot buy food, pay rent and come January 2019 send children to school.”

“The Unions want the Minister of Labour not to adopt hands off eyes on but to pull up socks and spring into action to avert rampant exodus of workers to South Africa and other safe destinations where at least there is a pay day,” he said.

Mr Dhanda added that workers are in a miserable state as medication is priced in US dollars and Medial Aid is not being accepted in other areas where shortfalls are huge.

He appealed for State intervention saying even food hampers can go a long way as workers’ salaries cannot match crazy prices in supermarkets.

The supply of basic commodities in major supermarkets in Harare and Bulawayo remain critical with a 2kg packet of rice selling at $6 up from $2 while cooking oil has disappeared in most shops but selling on the black market for between $8 and $10.

Beef is selling at around $12/kg. A 2kg packet of sugar is now selling between $4 and $5. A loaf of bread now costs between $1,50 and $2,20, up from between 90 cents to a dollar.