$75 minimum wage in industry soon

The Herald, November 2, 1979 THE Minister of Manpower, Dr Aaron Mutiti, has forecast a minimum wage of $75 a month for urban industrial employees, possibly as soon as January.

He said in a statement issued in Salisbury yesterday that “with the imminent lifting of sanctions” against Zimbabwe Rhodesia and the “inevitable improvement in the economic situation”, he expected that by the beginning of January most employers in the urban industries would be in a position to pay far better wages.

“In this event, I will insist on a minimum wage of $75 a month.” The Association of Rhodesian Industries (ARnI) in a statement said that while a number of industries were already, or soon would be paying a minimum wage of $75 a month, the Government must accept that some industries would find it economically impossible, “to do so at this time”, if they were to remain viable.

“The country faces the equally and perhaps more important problem of an ever-increasing number of unemployed,” ARnI said.

“It would not be in the country’s interest to force employers to pay minimum wages they cannot afford as this would only lead to a further reduction in the number of people in employment.

“It is therefore absolutely essential to strike the right balance both in the amount and in the timing of increased minimum wages to ensure they are not set too high, too soon, especially for the small industries, as this would stifle expansion and inhibit the creation of more job opportunities.”

It had always been ARnI’s policy that minimum wages, as fixed by statute in all industries, should be set at realistic levels, the statement said.

“It is obvious in the self-interest of employers that their employees should have wages sufficient to support themselves and a reasonably sized family if they are going to be able to give efficient and productive service.

“ARnI has therefore been urging (its) members to increase their minimum wages as soon as they are financially able to do so.

“Indeed, recent increases granted by various industry boards and councils show that ARnI members fully support this policy. But it has to be realised that industry, like every other sector of the economy, is still in a state of recession as a result of the war and political uncertainty . . .”

Dr Mutiti’s statement said very few workers were familiar with the minimum rates.

“Most firms are responsible in their attitudes to wages and pay above the minimum laid down, but regrettably there are some who take advantage of the workers’ ignorance and pay below the minimum rates,” he said.

All employment regulations and most industrial agreements required that copies of the regulations and agreements be made available to workers at their place of employment, said the Minister.

LESSONS FOR TODAY

◆ The International Labour Organisation defines a minimum wage as the minimum amount of remuneration that an employer is required to pay wage earners for the work performed during a given period, which cannot be reduced by collective agreement or an individual contract.

◆ Minimum wages are there to protect workers against exploitation through being underpaid by ensuring equitable distribution of available resources.

◆ They also ensure gender parity in the workplace as they apply to all workers regardless of whether they are male or female.

◆ Early this month, the Government recommended an absolute minimum wage of US$150 across all sectors. This will be used as the basis for all salary negotiations. +263 8677 004323; +263 0242 795771