Back to Index

Zimbabwe labour leaders threaten to call street protests
ZimOnline
May 02, 2006

http://www.zimonline.co.za/headdetail.asp?ID=12039

HARARE - Zimbabwe's labour movement on Monday threatened to call street protests by workers to demand better wages and living conditions, stocking up tensions in a country already on edge after threats by the political opposition to call mass anti-government protests.

Addressing about 5 000 workers at Workers Day celebrations in Harare, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president Lovemore Matombo said workers would take to the streets if negotiations for better conditions and pay failed.

"The crisis demands that we act now," said Matombo, who blamed President Robert Mugabe's government for running down Zimbabwe's economy to leave workers poorer and suffering.

He added: "If salary and wage negotiations fail to yield desired results, let's all go on the streets to demand better living conditions, among them easy access to anti-retroviral drugs for HIV and AIDS patients."

The union leader's calls for worker strikes for a better life comes as main opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party leader Morgan Tsvangirai is campaigning for mass protests to force Mugabe to step down and pave way for a government of national unity.

Tsvangirai, who accuses Mugabe and his government of stealing elections since 2000, wants a government of national unity to lead the writing of a new and democratic constitution and to organise fresh elections to be held under international supervision.

But the government - which denies stealing elections or ruining Zimbabwe's once vibrant economy - has warned that it will not tolerate protests by the opposition or any other group, with Mugabe specifically telling Tsvangirai he would be "dicing with death" if he attempted to instigate a Ukraine-style revolt in the country.

And in a sign of heightened tension in Zimbabwe hundreds of police, some armed, closely monitored ZCTU celebrations in Harare while more police mounted roadblocks on all roads leading into the city centre.

At the roadblocks police searched vehicles for weapons that could be used to commit public violence.

Zimbabwe is battling a seven-year recession dramatised by acute shortages of foreign currency, fuel and food while the rate of joblessness is around 80 percent and the world's highest inflation rate of 913.6 percent. - ZimOnline

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP