By Alois Vinga

THE Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has ended its consultative tour of the Matabeleland region where most workers were in agreement with the proposed holding of an industrial action in response to government’s continued failure to address the country’s worsening economic situation.

Speaking to NewZimbabwe.com Wednesday, ZCTU President Peter Mutasa said workers and community leaders in the southern region of the country had granted the union’s leadership the green-light to urgently organise a “sustained” nationwide demonstration.

“We received permission to organise a set of sustained crippling actions, which must not be ceased until government and business resolve the currency problems, which have seen the value of salaries depreciating at lighting speed,” he said.

Mutasa said workers who were consulted expressed disappointment over the manner with which government was treating them.

He highlighted that morale was at its lowest as workers are enduring long hours in transport queues only to earn eroded salaries.

“Most of them wake up at 4am everyday to catch a ride on the subsidised ZUPCO buses and in the evening, they arrive home around 10 pm. They have also reached a point where they can nolonger afford just two decent meals a day on top of failing to send their children to school,” he said.

According to a  copy of the Memorandum dated February 20 2020, the labour organ will be on a national tour from 25 February 2020 to March 5 2020 where stakeholders across its structures will be consulted.

Consultations will also be held in Masvingo, Chinhoyi, Gweru, Mutare and Harare.

The engagements come at a time when Zimbabwe is going through its worst economic crisis in 10 years, which has seen inflation surging to an estimated plus 500%, eroding salaries which have been maintained at the 1:1 on Zimbabwe -dollar against the US$ value.