Stephen Chadenga
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) first vice president Valentine Chikosi has called on workers to resist all forms of division that threatens the workers’ movement and their interests and rights.
Speaking last Friday in Gweru at the ZCTU central region workers day celebrations, Chikosi said workers will not achieve anything if they invest time and resources in sowing divisions among themselves.
“We can’t achieve anything if we continue on the path of division and toxicity,”Chikosi said.
“As union leadership let us defend our members and resist being weaponised to destroy the movement and the political and social cohesion among trade unions.
“We gather under ZCTU for reasons. Our power is in our united numbers not a divided movement. Let us resist being abused and coerced into political ballistic missiles against each other.”
Chikosi said workers should fight to build a movement where workers are free to demand their rights without being politically purged.
He said ZCTU should remain the voice of the working class in Zimbabwe.
“We want a ZCTU that is anchored in i’s principles and objectives,”he said.
“A ZCTU that advances rights and interest of workers, that advances social justice for all and a ZCTU that is for workers and must remain for the workers.”
He added:” As your vice president l take responsibility to continue fighting and defending the rights and interests of workers of Zimbabwe to advance their aspirations, hopes and dreams until we achieve and attain the Zimbabwe the workers desire.”
The ZCTU leader lamented de-industrilisation saying it has led to massive job losses in the formal sector.
“We now see de-enfranchised and fragmented workers, which is now a new problem that is being perpetrated by capital and this has significantly affected the active participation of workers in workers activities,”he said.
Chikosi reiterated that ZCTU does not belong to any political party but that its existence is centered on fighting for the interests and rights of workers.
He urged workers to desist from forming splinter unions saying divisions threaten the workers movement to defend and promote their rights and interests.
The ZCTU vice president called on government to decisively deal with corruption to protect citizens.