Published by the government of Zimbabwe
1 May 2008
editorial
Harare — ZIMBABWE today joins the rest of the world in celebrating International Worker's Day, a holiday commemorated around the world on May 1.
Also known as May Day, the origin of the International Worker's Day is born from the struggle for the welfare of the worker.
It is therefore a day that provides an opportunity to observe workers' rights and reflect on their achievements and challenges.
The Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions and the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions are today separately celebrating May Day in the capital.
These celebrations come against the background of social and economic challenges that have weighed down the worker.
For some time now, it has been felt that May Day celebrations have had little to do with worker welfare.
This is especially after the event has over the years been seized by opposition political parties to engage in another round of political sloganeering and verbal lambasting of ruling party and the Government.
With the ZCTU, May Day has completely lost its meaning as the labour movement has become inseparable from opposition politics.
Internal politics centred on a power struggle is also threatening to tear apart the ZCTU leadership, which now cares very little about delivering on members' expectations.
Such infighting confuses and worries workers who simply want to see the trade unions leadership expending their energy towards revitalising the economy to ensure workers remain employed.
We believe the likes of the ZCTU should also take time to reflect on their governance as labour unions to see whether they still meet the expectations of the workforce.
There are issues specific to the workers and which need to be focused on and campaigned for at least on the day dedicated to workers.
This is where ZCTU is failing.
As far as the workers are concerned, it is the bread and butter issues, which are of utmost importance.
The rising cost of living continues to dog the workers at their heels. It is the duty of trade unions, worthy of their name, to work towards the alleviation of this burden.
Workers expect May Day to reflect on the struggle to address issues of health and safety in the work place, better wages and salaries, an efficient and affordable transport system; reasonable retrenchment packages; housing and education allowances.
They are also still struggling against unfair dismissals while some companies do not provide benefit schemes for their employees and still subject workers to long working hours some in the pretext of overtime.
Apart from just focusing on grievances, this is also the time for workers to take pride on their contributions to the economy of this country. We need to acknowledge them for that.
If these issues do not figure in the agendas of entities calling themselves trade unions, then they have failed in their essential task.
Of importance is for all of us to remember that May Day is not the celebration of political parties.
But it is a sacred day for workers to have a free day of reflection on their achievements and challenges.
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