Related News
Zimbabwe PM says country is broke
Source: Agencies |
May 2, 2009, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
Zimbabwe's new unity government is broke and cannot meet union demands for higher wages, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said yesterday.
Addressing a May Day rally, Tsvangirai said the government he formed with President Robert Mugabe in February to try to end a political and economic crisis that has brought Zimbabwe to ruin would maintain the current monthly salary of US$100 that it is paying its workers.
"This government is broke, and we are only able to pay the US$100 allowance, but when things improve, we want this allowance to graduate into a proper salary," he said. "For now, everyone, all of us, including President Mugabe, is getting US$100."
Tsvangirai, a fiery former trade union chief, pleaded with Zimbabwe's Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) to give the new government time to fix the economy before pressing its demands for a minimum wage of US$454.
"We have been in office for less than three months. I plead with you to please give us time," he said. "Your demands must be realistic, taking into account that your government is broke and that industry has not been performing."
Earlier, ZCTU President Lovemore Matombo told thousands of workers at the rally that the labor movement would call national strikes and protests to press its case.
"If this is not met, the workers are going onto the streets," Matombo said, without giving any deadline.
Tsvangirai said both his Movement for Democratic Change and the president's ZANU-PF party wanted the government to succeed in repairing the economy.
Addressing a May Day rally, Tsvangirai said the government he formed with President Robert Mugabe in February to try to end a political and economic crisis that has brought Zimbabwe to ruin would maintain the current monthly salary of US$100 that it is paying its workers.
"This government is broke, and we are only able to pay the US$100 allowance, but when things improve, we want this allowance to graduate into a proper salary," he said. "For now, everyone, all of us, including President Mugabe, is getting US$100."
Tsvangirai, a fiery former trade union chief, pleaded with Zimbabwe's Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) to give the new government time to fix the economy before pressing its demands for a minimum wage of US$454.
"We have been in office for less than three months. I plead with you to please give us time," he said. "Your demands must be realistic, taking into account that your government is broke and that industry has not been performing."
Earlier, ZCTU President Lovemore Matombo told thousands of workers at the rally that the labor movement would call national strikes and protests to press its case.
"If this is not met, the workers are going onto the streets," Matombo said, without giving any deadline.
Tsvangirai said both his Movement for Democratic Change and the president's ZANU-PF party wanted the government to succeed in repairing the economy.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
