HARD pressed Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) employees, some of them manning the country's borders where they are exposed to bribes, have declared incapacitation citing their low salaries.
They argue the meagre pay cannot cater for decent housing, transportation, food and other basic necessities.
The labour representative body, Zimbabwe Revenue and Allied Workers Trade Union (ZIMRATU), alleges lethargy by ZIMRA Commissioner-General Regina Chinamasa and her top executives to conduct the 2024 first half collective bargaining talks.
It has resultantly declared a state of incapacitation for its members, attributing the decision to severe financial difficulties and unaddressed concerns by ZIMRA top brass.
ZIMRATU's stance comes after a significant erosion in real wages, the non-implementation of the 2023 second half Collective Bargaining Negotiation (CBN) Arbitral Award, and ZIMRA's disregard for pressing welfare issues.
In a statement, ZIMRATU says employees at the tax collector were unable to make a decent living through their meagre salaries.
"We are now incapacitated to afford basic human needs like shelter, transport, food, education, among others," said ZIMRATU in a statement.
"It is disheartening that the salary of a ZIMRA worker can no longer afford basic food items due to inflationary pressures and the continuous dollarization of the economy," the union added.
Additionally, the workers expressed frustration over inadequate housing and transport allowances, exacerbated by the high cost of living, demanding a living wage commensurate with their efforts.
"The rapid erosion of our salaries has left workers near destitute, forcing them to resort to borrowing and side hustles to make ends meet," said ZIMRATU.
ZIMRA workers also pointed out that the rapid systematic erosion of the value of their salaries has left them near destitute. They highlighted the charging of prices for most commodities in hard currency (USD), such as medicines, school fees, and other basics.
They cited the recent hike in school fees, with the majority of schools charging in USD and others requiring top-ups.
They also noted that nearly all medical services are now accessible in USD terms, and the cost of living has significantly increased due to drought, exchange rate fluctuations, and inflationary pressures.
