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The letters given to workers on Monday this week read in part: “It is believed that you committed an act of misconduct in participating in an illegal industrial action. You reported for duty on 27 April but took part in a sit-in and did not perform any of your required duties.
“You are accordingly suspended with immediate effect and without pay and other benefits pending hearing where you are expected to answer charges of such conduct in terms of the code of conduct for the NEC (printing) Statutory Instrument 148 of 2009 Clause 30.1 (illegal industrial action).”
The workers were given different hearing dates and they are free to take a member of the workers’ committee to the hearings.
The general manager of the company, Mr Tatenda Napata, confirmed that some workers were going through a disciplinary process for another productivity related matter not the Friday incident. He said they did not normally deal with their staff via the Press as they had representatives who were in constant touch with management and were quite well informed of the proceedings.
“As you are probably aware, the workers’ committee is part of the disciplinary authority in an organisation and the law is simply being applied at that level with their input as always.
“We have a signed agreement in place with staff that has managed our pay disbursements since 2009 with a view of keeping the company afloat and keeping all of us employed as you rightly reported that many companies continue to close, especially in Bulawayo. In addition, there is an active works council, which meets regularly and all genuine employee grievances are dealt with at company level and there exists the formal channels of appeal or grievance resolution both at company level and beyond through the appropriate regulatory authorities,” he said.
On the alleged victimisation by one of the managers, the GM said they were yet to receive a formal complaint and as such could not comment on a matter that had not been reported using the appropriate channels.
“Once this is done, we will follow the requisite means of investigation and redress. As a company, with the employee representatives we continue to make responsible decisions that have kept this business operational and recovering on capacity utilisation. We remain optimistic that as we complete the refurbishment of our plant, capacity utilisation will improve and naturally the agreements with staff will continue to be implemented in full as per all works council resolutions,” said Mr Napata.
Workers at the company are claiming that they have not been paid their full salaries since the introduction of the multi-currency system in 2009.
They are reportedly paid amounts ranging between $20 and $50 depending on one’s grade per month when the set salary for the lowest graded worker is pegged at $250.
The workers say they are not happy with the actions of one Mr Paul Maphosa, whom they accuse of victimising workers, which has resulted in low morale among the workers.
This low morale, they allege, has led to reduced production at the company.
Minister of Finance Tendai Biti launched a $40 million Distressed Industries and Marginalised Areas Fund (Dimaf) for Bulawayo industries in October last year following recommendations by an inter-ministerial taskforce on “Let Bulawayo Survive”.
Old Mutual complemented Government with $20 million to jointly set up the $40 million Dimaf for Bulawayo as the city recorded increased job losses in the past years and most business are pinning their hopes on the fund to resuscitate the industry.
A number of industries are operating below capacity as funding needed to retool and recapitalise has proved to be elusive and expensive.
Most Bulawayo companies have relocated to Harare and other cities as conditions for operating in the once industrial hub continue to deteriorate.
It is estimated that at least $2 billion in fresh capital is required to recapitalise industries in Zimbabwe.
Despite the introduction of the multi-currency system in February 2009, Zimbabwe’s manufacturing sector has struggled to stimulate productivity to competitive levels due to cash flow problems.
Online Reporter