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Domestics outraged by new minimum wage
The Standard (Zimbabwe)
August 26, 2007

THE Domestic Workers Union (DWU) has described the newly gazetted domestic workers' minimum wages and allowances as outrageous.

In a supplement to the Government Gazette dated 20 July 2007, domestic workers' minimum wages and allowances were increased with effect from 1 April 2007.

This saw the lowest earning domestic worker getting $120 000, while the highest paid will get $142 336.

The general secretary for the Domestic Workers' Union, Helarious Ruyi, said the union would not comply with the government minimum wages, as they could not sustain basic needs.

"Our union has pegged the minimum wage of domestic workers at $1.3 million for the least paid," Ruyi said. "There are four grades in which these workers are placed and for each grade there is a difference of $50
000."

Domestic workers who spoke to The Standard said the government should consider them as workers who also have families to look after.

"Inasmuch as government has tried to control prices, with these gazetted wages, I have to work for the whole year to afford to visit my family in the rural areas," said Mavis Moyo, a domestic worker in Glen View.

Some employers said that the gazetted minimum wages do not recognise the importance of the domestic worker.

"The domestic worker is very important in our daily lives," said Rejoice Chisi an employer. "If my child minder decides not to come to work it means I will have to miss work that day and look after my baby. The minimum wage should allow them to meet the necessary basics."

The domestic workers' union, however, has launched an advocacy programme to lobby employers to be more sensitive to the needs of their workers and pay them accordingly.

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