COVID-19 pandemic exposed gross inequalities among the working class

THE Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (Viset) yesterday joined the world in commemorating World Day for Decent Work (WDDW).

This year’s commemorations came at a time when hundreds of millions of lives and jobs have been lost worldwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of these being those in the least paid sectors such as the cleaning industry, transport and construction sectors.

Owing to lockdown restrictions, women were left with the additional burden of having to supervise home schooling as well as being the primary caregiver in homes without regard to their own physical and mental wellbeing.

As is the case with the cleaning industry and food processing and distribution, they were also in the majority and severely affected as they lose productive hours which is not compensated.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the gross inequalities among the working class of the world as there was little to no difference between the fate of those involved in menial jobs be it in the First or Third World, as they both had no access to healthcare nor more crucially social protection.

In Zimbabwe, like in many other countries, social protection was provided through inadequate, knee jerk interventions that had no safeguards against abuse, hence it came as no surprise that the Auditor-General revealed in Parliament on August 2 that there had been gross abuse of the cushioning fund facility administered through one of the mobile money transfer agencies.

WDDW calls upon the world to reflect on the lessons learnt from the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure equitable, affordable health care, vaccine distribution and implementation of social protection schemes that ensure the vulnerable are taken care of at all times.

It is an indictment on the entire world that even within the most advanced economies there are debates on fair minimum wage and equal pay.

Viset on its part will push to ensure that its stake as part of the informal economy now representing the major employer is well represented at forums such as the Tripartite Negotiating Forum in order to push for social protection, fair wages and health care provision among other many pressing needs for the sector.