adminMunyaradzi Musiiwa, Midlands Correspondent
A PRIVATE school in Gweru, Linfield Christian Academy which has been accused of exploiting teachers among other unfair labour practices has been ordered to pay three teachers more than $12 300 for unlawfully terminating their contracts.
It is understood the school administration terminated the contracts of Messrs Munashe Maphosa, John Madhombiro and Douglas Ndlovu prematurely and under unclear circumstances.
The institution later developed cold feet and resolved to engage the teachers and opt for an out of court settlement after the trio threatened to institute legal proceedings. According to court documents seen by Sunday News, Linfield, on 30 September 2016, agreed to pay $3 901 to Mr Maphosa, $4 568 to Mr Madhombiro and $3 901 to Mr Ndlovu in full by December last year.
In their argument through their lawyer Mr Archibald Madzima of Mutatu and Partners Legal Practitioners, the three teachers stated that the institution later started shifting goal posts and refused to pay the agreed amount arguing that the teachers were supposed to pay for the food and accommodation provided to them by the school. This prompted them to take the legal route to get their payment for unlawful dismissal and salary variation.
“The employer (Linfield) had agreed to pay for damages for unlawful dismissal and salary variation in full by December 2016.
The agreement was made on September 30, 2016. The school started backtracking on the agreement and later breached it after failing to meet the deadline forcing the three teachers to institute legal proceedings. The school later tried to evade paying the money claiming that the money the teachers were demanding would go towards payment of food and accommodation offered to them at the time they were engaged by the private learning institution. The matter was taken to labour court in Kwekwe,” Mr Madzima.
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Bongani Ndlovu