Sugar employees bitter

01 Nov, 2015 - 00:11 0 Views
Sugar employees bitter Sunday Mail

The Sunday Mail

Africa Moyo
TONGAAT HULLET Zimbabwe’s 7000-strong labourforce has given notice to embark on an industrial action in protest over the company’s refusal to stop remitting their monthly contributions to the Zimbabwe Sugar Milling Industry Workers Union (ZSMIWU), from which they recently quit enmasse.
ZISMIWU was put under administration by Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Prisca Mupfumira over a raft of allegations, including flouting the Labour Act and its own constitution, using union funds to support political activities, failure to comply with statutory remittances to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) and the National Social Security Authority (NSSA), absence of a Union asset register and extension of loans and advances to executive members, staff and the National Employment Council staff.
The 14-day notice — given on October 26 — expires on November 9, 2015 and employees at Triangle, Hippo Valley, Mkwasine and Mwenezana Estates could down tools if the employer does not come up with contingency measures to address their grievances.
Employee leaders feel cheated by Tongaat Hullets management as they continue to channel funds to ZISMIWU.
Most employees have since joined the Sugar Production and Milling Industry Workers Union of Zimbabwe (SPMWUZ).
Immediately after joining SPMWUZ, the employer was served with a notice of resignation from ZISMIWU which was accompanied with stop order forms informing management to direct 1 percent of their remuneration to the new Union.
However, management still docks a flat fee of US$250 per month from employees and channels it to ZISMIWU, which is a “flagrant violation of our members’ constitutionally protected rights against unlawful deprivation of property and their rights to freely assemble and associate with persons of their choice, which includes the right to form, join or belong (to a) trade union of their choice”.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that some top managers at Tongaat Hullets could be feeding off the Union funds sent to ZISMIWU.
In a letter dated October 26 2015, SPMWUZ leadership informed Tongaat Hullets’ group human resources director Mr Fred Nyangwe of the proposed labour action in the next 14 days.
“Notice is hereby given on the employer in terms of Section 104 (2) (a) of the Labour Act, of the impending collective job action within fourteen days by members, names already given to you, of the Sugar Production and Milling Industry Workers Union of Zimbabwe also known as SPMWUZ.
ZISMIWU fell out of favour with Tongaat Hullet employees after the leadership was accused of rampant abuses of Union funds and assets.
Minister Mupfumira then directed that an “administrator be appointed in terms of the Labour Act (Chapter 28:01) Section 120 sub-section (7) as read with subsection (3) for a specified period as provided for by the Act . . .”
Contacted for comment, Tongaat Hullets human resources director Mr Ephraim Gawaza referred questions to the managing director Mr Sydney Mutsambiwa who was reported to be out of the country last week.
The company’s corporate communications manager, Ms Adelaide Chikunguru had not responded to emailed questions by the time of going to print.

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