Businessman, workers in pay dispute

A majority of the workers said they last received full salaries in May while others said they have been getting part of their pay since then.

“There is a cashier at 125 Bakery who tried to bribe a security guard with $50 in June. The guard reported the issue. Since then, there has been a witch-hunt and anyone who is named by the girl as having taken part in fraudulent activities is immediately suspended or fired,” said one of the workers.

The workers said since the incident, whenever they ask for their salaries, Mr Marima asks them where they expect him to get the money when they know very well what happened at 125 Bakery.

“We do not even have a workers’ committee and anyone who raises the issue of salaries is dismissed. Very few of us are permanently employed. We have workers who have been on a contract basis for the past 10 years. The Labour Act states that if someone is on contract for more than three months without termination of the contract, the person is automatically deemed to be a permanent employee,” said the worker.

A number of workers said anyone who dared to raise the issue was threatened with dismissal.

“We have rent, school fees, food and clothing to buy for our families. The little that we pick up from other activities now goes towards transport to and from work,” said another worker.

Contacted for comment, Mr Marima admitted that a worker at 125 Bakery had been implicated in a bribery attempt, but denied that he was refusing to pay workers because of the incident.

“While it is true that we are behind with salaries, it is untrue that we are fixing our workers over petty theft at 125 Bakery,” said Mr Marima.

He said a number of workers were yet to get their salaries for July because the business was facing liquidity problems.

“Like all other businesses, we are facing challenges. It is also not true that workers are being victimised. There are investigations into theft allegations and everyone who is implicated goes for a procedural hearing. There are people who have been suspended through the investigations, but they can always appeal against the suspensions,” he said.

Mr Marima could not explain who represented the workers at the hearings, since workers alleged they did not have a workers’ committee.

He said he was not aware of workers who had been on contract for about 10 years.