Fired workers resist eviction

reservations about the new contracts of employment that do not have a clause on payment of gratuity and other benefits on termination of employment.
The dismissal of the workers and their eviction is despite a pending case before an arbitrator and payment of their terminal benefits.
Kefalos director Mr Life Rickman has since been notified of the hearing before an arbitrator.
A labour officer had earlier ordered Kefalos to stop any disciplinary action against the workers pending finalisation of the matter.
“May all other internal proceedings on this matter be stopped until the day of the hearing. If as a party you fail to attend the hearing, it may proceed without you to the possible detriment of your interests,” read the notice sent to Kefalos.
However, the company defied the notice and proceeded to conduct a hearing against the workers on February 10 2012 that was chaired by an independent arbitrator Mr D. Mudzengi. Kefalos Dairy Produce managerial workers Ms Linda Gono, Ms Josephine Mhishi, Mr Bradlock Chapendeka and Mr Willard Zhagira attended the hearing, while Mr Darlington Katsande was the secretary.
The workers were found guilty of refusing to sign the new contracts.
The workers were served with dismissal letters signed by the factory manager, Mr Lovemore Chundu.
The letter also advised them to collect their terminal benefits and leave the compound. One of the workers who had served for more than 16 years was offered US$617 as terminal benefits.
The 11 workers were part of a 132 workforce at Kefalos Dairy Produce who were given the new contracts.
The workers’ other bone of contention is that they have been ordered to join the General Agriculture and Plantation Workers’ Union, which negotiates wages for the agriculture sector. The company is based at a farm in Beatrice and manufactures cheese, ice cream, yoghurt, butter and cream.
According to the workers, 30 000 litres of milk are processed daily.