Collective Bargaining Agreement Salaries and Wages Tobacco (Miscellaneous) Sector
Tobacco (miscellaneous) sector minimums rise to US$326,50 a month at grade 1 for July to December 2023, with at least 80% of NEC and union levies remitted in US dollars and the balance converted at the willing buyer willing seller rate on the 15th.
This registered agreement amends the tobacco (miscellaneous) industry agreement published in S.I. 25 of 2018 and is deemed to have come into effect on 1 July 2023, running to 31 December 2023. It was signed on 9 August 2023 and gazetted in April 2024.
Wages are indexed to the US dollar. The grade minimum is set at US$326,50 at grade 1 for July to December 2023, up from US$310,00 in the first half of the year, rising through the grades to US$470,10 at grade 8. Skilled building trades are US$388,33 at class 1 and US$366,55 at class 2. Skilled engineering and motor trades are considerably higher at US$593,10 for class 1 and US$475,98 for class 2.
How you get paid matters as much as the figure. NEC and trade union levies must be remitted at a minimum of 80 per cent in US dollars, and employers already paying more than 80 per cent of the wage in US dollars are encouraged to continue. The remainder converts from US dollars to Zimbabwe dollars at the willing buyer willing seller rate on the 15th of each month — or the Thursday before the 15th if that day falls on a Friday or a weekend. The NEC is to publish the applicable ZWL wage schedules every month.
The basic wage is all-inclusive. It covers allowances, housing and transport included, so there is no separate housing or transport entitlement under this agreement. Nightshift allowance is 20 per cent of the daily rate of a grade 3 employee.
Company-level works councils remain free to improve on these conditions.
What changed
- Grade 1 minimum rises from US$310,00 to US$326,50 a month for July to December 2023, with grade 8 at US$470,10
- Skilled engineering and motor trades class 1 set at US$593,10 and class 2 at US$475,98
- NEC and trade union levies must be remitted at a minimum of 80 per cent in US dollars
- The non-US dollar balance converts at the willing buyer willing seller rate on the 15th of each month, or the Thursday before if the 15th falls on a Friday or weekend
- The basic wage is declared all-inclusive of housing and transport allowances
- Nightshift allowance set at 20 per cent of the daily rate of a grade 3 employee
Who this affects
- employees in the tobacco (miscellaneous) sector, grades 1 to 8
- skilled building, engineering and motor trades workers in the industry
- tobacco processing and handling employers and their payroll staff
- members of the Zimbabwe Tobacco Industrial Workers' Union
Plain-language summary — not legal advice. Always read the full instrument.