Council workers give notice to strike

Fungai Lupande Herald Reporter
Harare City Council workers have notified their management of their intention to embark on a strike after their workers union obtained a certificate of no settlement from the employment council.

This follows council’s failure to pay salaries for employees in grades 5-16 from December 2014 to date.

In a letter to Town Clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi and Harare Mayor Bernard Manyenyeni, Harare Municipal Workers’ Union executive director Mr Cosmos Bungu, said they obtained a certificate of no settlement from the employment council for them to embark on a lawful strike.

The strike is in terms of the Labour Act (Chapter 28:01) Section 104 as read with the Constitution of Zimbabwe (No. 20) Act 2013 Section 65 (3).

“Your Worship, we note with regret that despite holding several meetings with you and the employer at the Central Works Council, the employment council and your chambers you have failed,” reads part of the letter.

“You have neglected and refused to honour your undertaking and your obligation in terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement Statutory Instrument 135 of 2012 to pay employees in (grades 5-16) monthly salaries and all allowances timeously. We have on record that revenue collection has improved from around $11 million to $14 million per month.”

Mr Bungu added that the workers’ union went through the requisite legal requirements pursuant to addressing the salary dispute.

“We have since approached the High Court under case number HC/H/2013/15 and the Labour Court under case number LC/H/APP/325 /15 since it is a labour dispute and Justice Chivizhe ordered us to follow the procedures in the Labour Act (Chapter 28:01),” read the letter.

“We have obtained a certificate of no settlement from the employment council and now our members will be picketing as required by Section 104(A) of the Labour Act.”