adminBlessings Chidakwa Mash West Bureau
Chinhoyi Municipality has set aside its 2014 resolution to retire more than 120 workers after management re-engaged the affected employees. According to council officials, council is considering rationalising salaries after it also reportedly failed to borrow $2 million which was intended for retrenchment packages for the staff to be laid off.
Chinhoyi has 372 workers chewing about $380 000 every month against revenue of around $340 000. Speaking during a full council meeting at Town House on Monday, Chinhoyi town clerk Mr Maxwell Kaitano said council had since engaged the affected workers.
“The issue of retrenchment is an in-house one, therefore, it must first go to the finance committee and then tabled in council for adoption. As management, we have agreed with workers to rationalise their salaries and avoid downsizing,” he said.
The issue is likely to be tabled before council this Friday. Last year, Chinhoyi Municipality applied to Government for the authority to borrow $2 million which was supposed to go towards retrenchment. Council had promised that the borrowed money would be repaid through savings.
The retrenchment of workers was aimed at cutting employment costs so that the municipality complied with Government’s 70-30 ratio for service delivery and employment costs. Council’s latest move to rescind its decision on layoffs is in line with the new political dispensation which is calling for the creation of more jobs.
Chinhoyi has had several applications for city status turned down as it fell short of expected amenities. The town is now repairing roads, putting up signs and collecting garbage in preparation for launching another bid for the status.
Online Reporter