KEY POINTS
- ZCTU calls 2024 a devastating year for Zimbabwean workers.
- Civil servants demand better salaries, healthcare, and education reform.
- Proposed tax hikes spark backlash, with ZCTU vowing resistance.
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has criticized the government for a year of economic turmoil, calling 2024 an “annus horribilis” for workers.
In a statement, ZCTU detailed numerous grievances, including poverty-level wages, runaway inflation, and a crumbling healthcare system.
“The much-anticipated improvement to the plight of the working people did not materialize,” the statement read. “Workers were met with poverty wages averaging $300 against a poverty datum line of $500, punitive taxation, and a failing health system.”
According to New Zimbabwe, the union also pointed to systemic issues such as high unemployment, erratic water and electricity supplies, and widespread corruption, emphasizing that over 80 percent of the population is living in poverty.
Civil Servants demand reforms and better conditions
ZCTU highlighted specific challenges faced by civil servants, including a collapsed education system marked by frequent teacher strikes over salaries and deteriorating working conditions.
The healthcare sector has also experienced a severe brain drain, with professionals leaving in search of better opportunities abroad.
“Institutions are collapsing, and workers are suffering immensely,” ZCTU stated. “We cannot celebrate a year marked by chaos and deprivation.”
The union condemned recent government proposals, including taxes on fast food, betting, and plastic bags, calling them punitive and regressive. It vowed to resist these measures in 2025, accusing the Finance Ministry of excessive taxation that limits citizens’ freedom and stifles economic competitiveness.
ZCTU prepares for 2025 showdown
Looking ahead, ZCTU warned that workers must prepare for a confrontational year in 2025. The union pledged to oppose policies that it says deepen economic hardship and erode workers’ rights.
“So desperate is the Finance Minister that his 2025 budget is hinged on brutal taxation,” the union said. “Excessive taxation will lead to dissatisfaction, protests, and even brain drain as talented individuals seek opportunities elsewhere.”
ZCTU’s criticism highlights growing frustration among Zimbabwean workers, who are demanding meaningful reforms, better pay, and improved public services. As tensions rise, the government faces mounting pressure to address workers’ concerns and restore economic stability.
