The government has decided to postpone negotiations on salary increases until the second half of this year, citing the economic instability affecting the country, announced the Minister of Labour, Gender and Social Action, Ivete Alane.
‘The start of the negotiation process has been postponed until the second half of the year, depending on the assessment of the economic situation,’ said the minister.
In Mozambique, discussions on wage adjustments, especially in the public sector, usually take place between January and April. However, according to the minister, this year negotiations will only move forward after an in-depth analysis of the national economy and the effectiveness of measures underway to stabilise it.
‘The economic situation is not yet clear in terms of improvement,’ said Ivete Alane.
The Executive’s decision comes in a context marked by strong social and economic turmoil, resulting from post-election protests that erupted after the 2024 general elections. According to the Confederation of Economic Associations of Mozambique (CTA), more than 500 companies were vandalised during the riots, causing the loss of around 12,000 jobs.
The CTA itself, which represents the Mozambican private sector, had called on 9 April for the postponement of wage adjustment negotiations until August, warning of the economic risks arising from the current situation.
‘We must take into account today that a wage adjustment would have an immediate impact, an average increase of 4% in business costs, especially in labour-intensive sectors. In view of this situation, as a confederation, we would like to propose postponing the negotiation of the minimum wage adjustment until August 2025,’ said CTA President Agostinho Vuma during the opening of the first plenary session of the Labour Advisory Committee in Maputo.
The statement issued by the CTA stresses that the appeal is based on the instability experienced in the country’s business community, which has been severely affected by the violence that followed the elections.
Mozambique is currently facing the consequences of one of the most serious social crises since the introduction of multiparty politics in 1994. The electoral dispute was led by Venâncio Mondlane, who does not recognise Daniel Chapo’s victory in the presidential elections.
According to data from civil society organisations, clashes between demonstrators and police forces have resulted in the deaths of around 400 people, as well as extensive looting and destruction of businesses and public infrastructure.
Although Mondlane and Chapo met for the first time on 23 March to express their commitment to ending the violence, the political atmosphere remains tense, with mutual criticism and accusations marking public statements from both sides.
Source: Lusa
