Joint Statement By Democratic Political Parties On International Labour Day 2016

On this International Labour Day, we, the Democratic Political Parties in Zimbabwe re-affirm our respect for our national constitution, and observance of the principles of constitutionalism, good governance, democracy and justice, Pan-Africanism and international solidarity.

We re-iterate our commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights, including the rights of all workers to decent jobs and decent pay.

We are determined to contribute to the upliftment and transformation of the lives of the people of Zimbabwe, and today join the working people of our country in commemorating the International Workers Day 2016, under the theme “Celebrating the International Labour Movement”.

The International Labour Day affords us the opportunity to reflect on, and celebrate the advances that working people have achieved in better working conditions, fair remuneration and enhanced work place democracy. We also celebrate the contributions working people have made to the broader national struggles for political liberation, economic development and social justice.

This year’s commemorations take place in an environment characterised by the collapse of the formal economy, high unemployment, near-total collapse of service delivery and a ravaging drought. 98% of working age people, especially the youths, are in the informal sector, 60% of the industries which were operating in 2010 have shut down and 83% of our people live on less than US$1 a day. Many women still die needlessly, while giving birth, so do too many children under the age f 5; because the national health services have been destroyed.

Generally, the people feel hopeless, and they are in despair, dejected and demoralized.
More critically, in many enterprises in all sectors of the economy country-wide, in both the public and private sectors, working people have gone for long periods without being paid for wok already done. In the last month, the spectre of cash shortages has haunted even the few who are still employed, as they fail to access their hard earned money.
In light of the foregoing, we democratic political parties, pledge to the people of Zimbabwe that:

– Creating Employment
We will work together to formulate policies and programmes of economic recovery and growth, which preserve the few existing  jobs, and create more formal jobs in all sectors of the national economy.

– Social Contract
We commit ourselves to the implementation of the Social Contract articulated in the Kadoma Declaration. This cardinal national covenant has been rendered inutile by the inept and corrupt ZANU-PF government.

– Labour law reform
We commit ourselves to reforming the country’s labour laws of the land to ensure the effective protection of workers’ rights, while raising the work ethic and enhancing national productivity. Further we pledge to work for the harmonization of labour laws, so as to give equal rights to all workers in Zimbabwe.

– Upholding fundamental rights to organize, associate and assemble
Unionism is about organising, associating and assembly. It is about mass mobilisation. Consequently, we commit ourselves to respecting and promoting these fundamental rights, already in the national Constitution. We also pledge to work for the repeal of such draconian laws as the Public Order and Security Act (POSA), which have been used to persecute trade unionist, political parties and other human rights defenders in our country.

The emancipation of the people of Zimbabwe, including workers, and the creation of a social democratic state, are cardinal objectives of the current phase of the national democratic struggle. In furtherance of this goal, we commit ourselves to cooperate with the working people of Zimbabwe, and all other national groups who share this purpose; to free our country of the failed, dictatorial, cruel and corrupt ZANU PF regime.
Workers of the world unite

Shinga mushandi shinga
Qhina sisebenzi qhina!

M.Chikasha
African Democratic Party (ADP)

Dr S.H.S Makoni
Mavambo Kusile Dawn (MKD)

G.Dzikiti
Democratic Assembly for Restoration and Empowerment(DARE)

Professor W.Ncube
Movement for Democratic Change(MDC)

T.L Biti
People’s Democratic Party (PDP)

Dr D. Dabengwa
Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU)

E.S Mangoma
Renewal Democrats of Zimbabwe (RDZ)

F.Mbira
Zimbabweans United for Democracy(ZUNDE)

Professor L.Madhuku
National Constitutional Assembly(NCA)