adminClinton Moyo, Sunday News Reporter
WORKERS at one of Zimbabwe’s biggest gold mines, How Mine, yesterday downed tools over alleged non payment of salaries dating back to three and half month ago.
Sunday News visited the mine yesterday and although the newscrew was denied entry, it managed to speak to some of the workers who said the strike started on Friday.
One of the workers who refused to be named because of fear of being victimised said the workers committee had a meeting with the management team on Friday and management offered to pay only 30 percent of one month salary, an offer workers refused.
“We have not been paid for the past three months and they are now offering us 30 percent of our September salary, how do they think we are going to pay the loans that we have been taking from banks at the same time pay bills. You know what, the moment they put that money it will be immediately taken by the bank and we will be back to square one. What we want is our three months salaries paid, they cannot offer us these peanuts because it will not takes us anywhere,” he said.
Another worker said police have been called to guard important equipment.
“Yes there is a strike but we cannot allow you inside, we have police inside who are handling the case, you can only come back when you have made an appointment with the bosses, you know that the bosses do not want this (news) to spread,” he said.
Efforts to get a comment from the management were however, fruitless as they were not picking their phones. How mine is the flagship of Metallon Gold, the country’s biggest gold producer.
Online Reporter