Workers’ Day: Unions decry shrinking wages, fading protections

Zimbabwe commemorated Workers’ Day on Friday against a backdrop of deepening economic hardship, shrinking labour protections and growing concern over governance reforms that critics say could further weaken workers’ rights. Trade unions, civic groups and constitutional watchdogs used the occasion to highlight the widening gap between workers’ earnings and the cost of living, warning systemic failures continue to erode livelihoods across sectors. Addressing a press briefing on May 1, 2026 in Bulawayo, the Constitution Defenders Forum (CDF) said this year’s commemorations came at a critical juncture, as Parliament considers the controversial Constitution Amendment Bill No.

CDF Deputy National Spokesperson Chiedza Mlingo, said the proposed changes raise fundamental concerns about accountability and democratic renewal. “This raises a fundamental question: What does it mean for Zimbabwean workers if the same governance framework that has failed to guarantee fair wages, social protection, and economic justice is prolonged without democratic renewal?” said Mlingo. She warned the proposed amendment could delay harmonised elections to 2035, effectively extending the tenure of the current political establishment beyond constitutionally envisaged limits.

“The erosion of constitutional safeguards directly undermines accountability mechanisms that workers rely on to demand better conditions. Without periodic elections and leadership renewal, the prospects for meaningful reform become increasingly remote,” she said. Workers’ Day is traditionally marked by calls for improved wages and working conditions, while this year’s theme, centred on dignity, fair wages and inclusive economic participation, resonates sharply in Zimbabwe, where most workers reportedly earn below the Poverty Datum Line (PDL).

[paywall]

Across both the public and private sectors, wages have remained largely stagnant while the cost of basic commodities, transport, housing and healthcare continues rising. “Many civil servants and private sector employees alike earn salaries that cannot sustain a household beyond a few days each month, forcing them into cycles of debt and informal survival strategies,” Mlingo said. The ongoing crisis in the health sector has become emblematic of these challenges.

Nurses have repeatedly went on strike, demanding salaries that reflect the cost of living, along with adequate medical supplies and improved working conditions. Their demands include a living wage pegged in stable currency and access to proper equipment.

[/paywall]