Maputo, Mozambique — Thousands of Mozambican workers joined the May Day parade through the streets of Maputo Tuesday, calling for "labour and wage justice," and an end to mass redundancies.
Some of the workers were from sectors of the economy that are in deep crisis.
A highlight was the performance by workers of the giant textile factory, Texlom, in the city of Matola, which has been paralysed for over two years.
As they passed the rostrum, where President Joaquim Chissano and other government leaders were watching the parade, dozens of Texlom workers threw themselves to the ground, and implored the President to intervene personally in the crisis-ridden company.
Most of Texlom's estimated 1,200 workers owed arrears of salary, are also said affected by the redundancy, without commensurate pay.
A spokesman for the workers addressed Chissano in the Shangaan language, declaring: "We've heard the Prime Minister say the problem is solved, but so far we have nothing. We are begging you to take action."
Workers from the privatised glassware companies, Vidreira and Cristaleira, which have also ground to a halt, complained of non-payment for two years.
"Who has taken our companies and our wages?" their placards asked.
Workers from the rubber company Vulcanizadora de Mozambique also claimed they had not been paid for six months.
The situation is similar with workers from the once flourishing cashew processing industry.
"The government and the World Bank are against the cashew industry, and against the country," charged banners carried by the cashew workers. "Long live employment! Down with the bureaucrats of Washington and Maputo!"
But there were also complaints from factories thought to be doing well, including the MOZAL aluminium smelter on the outskirts of Maputo.
Although believed to have some of the highest paid industrial workers in the country, MOZAL workers were protesting against their wage packets, alleging that the local workers earned less than their foreign counterparts.
One placard claimed that MOZAL is "a symbol of apartheid and modern slavery," while another called on the government to resign.
Present in force on the march were also people who were once migrant workers in the former East Germany.
Most of them returned to Mozambique a decade ago,after the merger of the two Germany.
The ex-migrant workers are complaining against social security payments deducted from their wages while in Germany. "We want our money!" they said in a placard.
Meanwhile, Joaquim Fanheiro, Secretary General of Mozambique's largest Trade Union Federation (OTM), has called for an increase in the minimum wage in the country.
He said the current industrial monthly minimum wage of 568,980 meticais (about 29 US dollars) fetches less than 40 percent of the basic needs for an average-sized family of five.
Addressing thousands of workers as part of the May Day celebration, he revealed that the low wage had forced families to send their children to work.
"Today we see that thousands of children have stopped going to school in order to sell goods on the streets, in order to augment the family income," Fanheiro said.
Trade Unions have argued that the basic point of reference for the minimum wage should be the basket of goods that an average family needs to survive, but employers disagree.
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Fanheiro warned that "wage negotiation inside the tripartite forum is becoming increasingly difficult and may degenerate into a conflict."
He also claimed that over half the workers registered with the National Social Security Institute (INSS) cannot benefit from social security, because their employers have not sent in their contributions.
There are 262,944 workers registered with the INSS, but only 129,031 (49 percent) are said to be up to date with their contributions.
Also, praising Mozambican journalists and their Union, Fanheiro pledged the labour's continued support for press freedom.
"We want a firm combat against acts that molest media professionals in the exercise of their duties," he said, citing the murder last November of Carlos Cardoso, Editor of the private daily "Metical."
The Union leader expressed the hope that "those responsible for this barbaric crime will be identified, so that they may receive exemplary punishment."
