Ex-workers take Bata to court

Midlands Correspondent
FORMER Bata Shoe company employees have taken the company to court over its failure to pay them severance packages after their contracts were terminated in August last year. Bata terminated contracts of over 90 employees last year taking advantage of a court ruling, which empowered employers to terminate workers’ tenure of employment on three months’ notice.

After being paid for the three months period, 61 workers are now demanding their severance packages for the years they served the country’s largest shoe manufacturer.

The former workers have also dragged the Ministry of Labour and Social Services to court over the matter. Part of the letter seen by Business Chronicle makes reference to a notice on the matter between the company versus Edison Mlambo and 60 others.

“You are hereby notified that the matter concerning alleged non payment of compensation packages for loss of employment. “In respect of which reference was made on 21 October 2015 and which you are a party shall be heard before L. Maposa (conciliator) at Ministry of Labour, New Government Complex, and Gweru on 10.2.16 at 11am,” reads part of the letter signed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare.

However, Bata is reported to have failed to attend the ruling. Bata managing director, Ahm Ehsanuzzaman had not responded to e-mailed questions at the time of going to print.

The dispute between Bata and its ex-workers is one of the many labour disagreements between the company and ex-workers and serving employees.

Again, 19 workers who were suspended by the company last year for embarking on tea time demonstrations in July last year demanding an upward review of their housing and transport allowances, have also taken their matter to a conciliator challenging their suspensions.

The workers were charged with “active obstruction”, threatening behaviour and sabotage. Last month, 33 workers filed a chamber application to register a Labour Court order, which was granted in their favour compelling the Gweru based shoemaker to pay them about $23,000 in respect to shortfalls on their housing, transport and bonus allowances.