Empowering construction workers: A journey towards dignity and compliance

For six years, Chenjerayi Makona has worked across multiple construction sites, facing a pattern of instability, underpayment, and informal employment practices that define much of the sector. His most recent job, which lasted six months, ended abruptly due to persistent wage delays and non-payment. Like many others, he moved between sites in search of “better” conditions, only to find the same issues repeating - no formal contracts, inadequate safety measures, and a general lack of recourse for workers like him.

Conditions on site are harsh and, we usually don’t have basic personal protective equipment, or breaks. Most of us keep quiet cos if you talk, you make yourself a target, and maybe next month you don’t have work.

A turning point came when a representative from the Zimbabwe Construction and Allied Trades Workers’ Union (ZCATWU) visited the site. At first, Chenjerayi and his colleagues were sceptical. But through the union-led session and two booklets on labour rights and occupational health and safety, Tinashe experienced a shift. The materials gave language to what he had experienced for years, confirming that the absence of lunch breaks, protective gear, contracts, and dignified accommodation were not just unfortunate they were all violations of existing laws and collective agreements.

One moment stood out. When the union explained that workers were legally entitled to a single contract for the full duration of a project, as per the NEC agreement, it exposed the monthly contract renewals as a deliberate strategy to suppress rights and maintain control. For Chenjerayi, this revelation was both validating and galvanizing.

The knowledge gained during the training began to ripple across the team. Chenjerayi and his peers no longer saw their experiences as isolated or unavoidable. Instead, they began to view themselves as rights-holders, capable of demanding compliance and advocating for dignity at work.

This awakening shifted the focus from individual survival to collective action. The group is now actively discussing the need for a workers' committee and is seeking further engagement with the union to support advocacy around the unfair contract practices. What was once an unchallenged norm has become a shared concern, with workers now ready to take action.

It is my hope, that now, as most of us know our rights and have these booklets to go back to and check, we will be in a position to demand what is due to us. Chenjerayi shared,

Chenjerayi’s story reflects the immediate power of rights awareness and the broader momentum it can generate. From a single training session and a few well-prepared materials, a group of informal workers moved from silent endurance to informed mobilization. This transformation not only empowers the workers themselves but contributes to reshaping the norms of employment in the construction sector-laying the groundwork for improved compliance, accountability, and ultimately, a more equitable industry.