Zim GBC News | Business Correspondent
BULAWAYO – Mine workers are demanding a US$650 minimum wage for 2026, a sharp increase from current earnings, as the union representing them argues that record global mineral prices must finally translate into better pay.
The Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Minerals Workers Union (ZDAMWU) has formally tabled the demand following a meeting of its National Council in Bulawayo last week—the union’s highest decision-making body between congresses.
The demand represents a significant jump from current earnings, which range between US$390 and US$400. Workers argue that soaring international prices for gold, platinum, and chrome have boosted mining company revenues, yet households are struggling to cover basic costs such as rent, school fees, and groceries.
Justice Chinhema, ZDAMWU general secretary, told Zim GBC News that the sector’s strong performance is not reaching those who power it.
“Mining is performing well. Gold is performing well. Platinum and chrome are doing well, but that performance is not reaching the pockets of workers.”
Zimbabwe’s mining sector, home to major gold producers and exporters, has indeed benefited from favourable international prices. But rising production and export earnings have done little to lift stagnant wages, leaving workers with virtually no disposable income and families vulnerable to debt and financial distress.
The union accuses employers, represented by the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe, of prioritising profit over fair pay.
“They believe in super profits,” Chinhema said.
“They do not believe in sharing.”
Employers, in turn, argue for wage restraint, citing currency stability and inflation management as critical for long-term investment. Workers, however, counter that stability is meaningless if take-home pay cannot sustain basic survival.
“Stability of the local currency must not come at the expense of workers’ livelihoods. An income must be able to put food on the table,” Chinhema said.
He added that some employers are urging workers to take up funeral policies instead of addressing low wages—a move the union called misplaced and insensitive.
“You cannot push workers to prepare for death when they are struggling to live.”
Beyond immediate survival, ZDAMWU stresses that wages should allow workers to invest in skills development and remain competitive as mining technology evolves. Current pay levels, Chinhema said, make professional growth nearly impossible.
The National Council resolved that 2026 must mark a turning point in the fight for fair compensation. As Zimbabwe’s mining industry continues to thrive internationally, the central question looms: if mineral exports are generating record returns, why are mine workers still barely earning enough to live?
For ZDAMWU, the answer is clear: it comes down to bargaining power. And for 2026, they have made it unmistakably clear—the fight for US$650 has begun.
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