HCCL, NRZ fail to pay workers

The workers said they only got half their salaries in December and since then they have not been paid anything.
They said the worst affected were workers in low grades as those in management were cushioned by allowances they were being paid.
“We have not been paid since 17 December. It is not true for them to say only the management was not paid because the last money we got was for December,” said an employee, who chose to remain anonymous.
Management yesterday confirmed that the company was facing cashflow challenges but refuted that it was failing to pay workers.
Speaking in a telephone interview yesterday, the acting Corporate Affairs Manager, Mr Tobias Mandoreba, said the company which he said was facing viability challenges, had just delayed paying the January salaries.
He said workers received their January salaries on Wednesday.
“It is not every month that we fail to pay workers or delay salaries. The whole industrial sector is facing challenges and as a company we are trying to recapitalise,” said Mr Mandoreba.
He said HCCL was trying to balance between recapitalisation costs and salaries to remain viable.
“We have to balance between recapitalisation and paying salaries and this is the process that has enabled us to keep workers on the job. We have never had a backlog of more than a month,” he said.
Mr Mandoreba however said the delays in paying salaries will soon be a thing of the past.
In a related issue, National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) workers have reportedly not been paid since November.
The workers said they were failing to fend for their families.
They said management was not addressing their problem.
Thousands of NRZ workers, drawn from the four unions – the Zimbabwe Amalgamated Railway Workers’ Union (ZARU), Railway Association of Yard Operating Staff (RAYOS), Zimbabwe Railways Artisans Union (RAU) and Railway Association of Engineering (RAE) – downed tools across the country in September last year pressing management to pay them outstanding salaries and allowances.
Management is maintaining that the company has no money because it is operating at below capacity, a claim dismissed by workers who are saying the company is making enough to enable it to pay salaries.
Union leaders confirmed yesterday that their members have not been paid and said workers were beginning to lose hope.
The president of RAU, Mr Shadreck Mutakura, said the situation was now like forced labour.
“It is true that workers have not been paid since last year. We are working but it is now as good as forced labour. The situation is dire and no employee can survive without money for rent, food and school fees,” said Mr Mutakura.
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HCCL, NRZ fail to pay workers

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The unions now want “stakeholder intervention to quickly solve the situation”.
Mr Charles Dube, the president of ZARU, said workers were only given transport allowances, some as low as $32 a month.
He accused management of being insensitive to the plight of workers.
“The employer has not paid salaries since November.
“People are still coming to work but their situation is deteriorating by the day as many cannot afford medical treatment and basics such as food and rentals. How can one expect people to go to work without being paid?” he said.
Workers alleged that the management after stopped attending meetings with their unions leaders.
The president of RAE, Mr Norman Simba, said the situation could degenerate into a strike if not addressed as a matter of urgency.
“The workers are contemplating downing tools again and what is only holding them back is that there is a pending case at the courts,” he said.
Contacted for comment, NRZ public relations manager Mr Fanuel Masikati confirmed that some workers were yet to get their November salaries but said the company had made arrangements to stagger payment of salaries.
Mr Masikati said the lowest paid workers were paid 50 percent of their November salaries and had since been paid the other 50 percent.
“Yes, I admit we are behind in paying salaries but that is so because November was a very difficult month as we were supposed to pay a double salary because of the bonuses.
“We are paying them in batches starting with the lowest paid workers. The other grades were 30 percent of their salaries,” said Mr Masikati.
He said the challenges the company was facing were further compounded by poor business between December and January. Mr Masikati said many companies are traditionally on annual shut down during this period.
Mr Masikati said workers were assured of normalcy once the company started to realise meaningful business.
“We want to assure workers that we are prioritising salaries but we also want to continue buying fuel to remain afloat. We came up with measures to retain staff which is why we are staggering their salaries. We still have to pay the remaining percentages for other grades and we will be done with the November salaries soon,” said Mr Masikati.
He said NRZ was making between $6 million and $7 million a month against an expenditure of about $10.5 million for fuel, salaries and spare parts, thereby operating at a deficit
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