The Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Mineral Workers Union (ZIDAMWU) has called for meaningful wage increases in the mining sector, arguing that currency stability alone is meaningless if it does not improve workers’ living standards.
ZIDAMWU Secretary General Justice Chinhema said the reported stability of the Zimbabwe Gold (ZIG) currency must translate into affordable goods and services for workers, particularly those in formal employment.
“The stability of ZIG, without wage increases, means nothing,” Chinhema said. “If that stability does not translate into gains and affordability of goods and services for workers, then it means nothing.” He stressed that economic stability should be reflected in the daily lives of the working class, enabling employees to afford basic necessities such as food and other essential goods.
According to Chinhema, workers should be able to sustain a living standard that is commensurate with being formally employed, warning that stability that fails to improve purchasing power offers no real benefit.
Looking ahead to 2026, Chinhema said the union will intensify its push for improved salaries in the mining sector, maintaining that current wages remain below a living standard.
He reiterated that ZIDAMWU’s demand for a US$600 minimum wage remains on the table, adding that as long as mine workers earn below US$600–US$700, they cannot be said to be earning a living wage.
