By A Correspondent

The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) has strongly rejected the government-led Workers’ Day celebrations held in Harare, accusing the Public Service Commission (PSC) of staging a symbolic event detached from the daily realities of suffering public sector employees.

In a statement issued on May 1, ARTUZ denounced the PSC-organized event — which took place at Allan Wilson High School in collaboration with the Zimbabwe Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (ZCPSTU) — as a tone-deaf spectacle orchestrated to mask the government’s failure to address genuine labour grievances.

Describing the gathering as elitist and insincere, the union said:
“Good to see Employer’s sweetheart Unions and the boss opting for air conditioned boardrooms for May Day commemorations coffee. Celebrating selling out for a whole year should never be taken to crowds. Enjoy the closed door romance.”

The PSC, in its promotional message ahead of the event, had framed the celebration as an inclusive occasion, stating:
“Be part of the May Day Commemorations at Allan Wilson High School in Harare where the Zimbabwe Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (ZCPSTU) and its affiliate Labor Unions in partnership with the PSC host public sector workers in Workers Day celebrations on 1 May 2025.”

However, ARTUZ maintained that the event failed to reflect the dire working conditions endured by teachers and other civil servants, particularly in rural areas, where poor pay, lack of resources, and deteriorating infrastructure remain unaddressed.

By distancing itself from what it called a “romanticized” celebration, ARTUZ underscored growing tensions between independent unions and government-aligned labour groups, with the former demanding authentic engagement and action on long-standing issues affecting public sector workers.