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without receiving their November salaries and bonuses despite promises from the local authority that they would receive their money by end of day.
This is the second time in as many weeks that BCC had promised but failed to pay its workers as last week Friday’s pay day was moved to yesterday.
Council workers who spoke to Chronicle said they were fed up with the city council’s untrustworthiness. They said their employer had a total disregard for workers’ plight.
“How can someone make a promise that they will pay you on a certain day but when that day comes you find no money? These people are so inconsiderate,” said a worker who refused to be named fearing victimisation.
“We waited at Revenue Hall the whole day for people from Kingdom Bank to come with their machines for us to be paid but they did not come. How can I go for two months without paying water bills and rent?
“Which landlord would allow that?” asked another fuming worker.
The workers said last week they were supposed to be paid on Friday but the date was shifted to yesterday. Now they are unsure when they would get paid.
“Last week, we went home empty-handed, this week it is the same. As you can see Christmas is around the corner I want to go and see my relatives on time,” she said.
The worker said after last week’s strike, some of her colleagues were victimised by their supervisors at their respective workplaces who threatened them with dismissal.
Another worker said they believed that their money was being abused as deductions from their salaries are not being reimbursed.
“I have a funeral policy. I got a shock that it was six months in arrears despite the fact that every month they deduct US$20 from my salary,” he said.
Earlier in the day representatives from the workers’ committee said BCC had agreed to pay workers their November salary minus their bonuses.
Addressing workers at Revenue Hall, secretary of the BCC workers union, Mr Nkosiyabo Masuku, said workers who earned a net salary of US$700 and below were supposed to be paid by yesterday.
However, he said those with a net salary more than US$700 would be paid by Wednesday next week.
“What we have agreed with the council is that they pay those who have a net salary of US$700 and below immediately.
“Those who are above that will get their salary in the next coming days,” said Mr Masuku.
He said a schedule would be compiled to determine who had not received their salary and from which bank.
“For those who are above that figure (US$700) there will be schedule compiled by council so that they know who has received their salaries and those who haven’t,” Mr Masuku said.
“It was agreed that daily collections will be used to pay salaries for those above net US$700. The money will be deposited in the respective bank.
“There are three points of payment, here at Revenue Hall, Tradepower and at Belmont.
“Those who have bank accounts with Kingdom can go and get their money,” Mr Masuku said.
Town clerk Mr Middleton Nyoni could not be contacted yesterday as his secretary said he was in a meeting.
She promised he would call Chronicle after the meeting, but he had not done so by the time of going to press.
In October, the workers were paid after going on a week long strike that almost grounded service delivery in the city.
Recently, it was reported that the cash-strapped local authority had stopped paying allowances to its workforce.
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Online Reporter