adminThe companies — Dunlop Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd, Rubber Products Manufacturing, General Beltings and Piggot Maskew (Pvt) Ltd — are reportedly against the idea of their employees affiliating to the Zimbabwe Chemicals, Plastics and Allied Workers’ Union.
According to the workers, the long-standing battle has stalled the formation of a National Employment Council thereby making it difficult for them to negotiate for salary increments.
The employers are reportedly supposed to form a rubber industries association that would necessitate the formation of the NEC but are adamant.
The workers believe the move is deliberate, as the employer does not want to implement collective bargaining procedures to raise salaries.
The matter has spilt to the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare for conciliation.
The workers, in a notice dated 3 July this year, threatened to go on strike if no agreement was reached.
They cited unwillingness by the companies to form an employers’ association thereby infringing on the rights of rubber industries workers.
The lowest paid workers earn between $108 and $144 per month.
This is in contrast with the collective bargaining agreement in the Industrial Chemicals sector where the least paid employee should get $194 per month.
The workers also complained about casualisation of labour, undefined working hours, unfair grading and dismissal.
Representatives of the workers met the Labour Officer at Mhlahlandlela Government Complex on Wednesday although the meeting did not come up with an agreement.
The meeting was deferred to 30 July where the labour officer, who presided over the matter, asked the parties to bring names of members of their respective unions.
Chronicle is in possession of documents written by the workers, who are members of the Zimbabwe Chemicals, Plastics and Allied Workers Union to the ministry and copied to general managers of the four companies and also the labour union body requesting a meeting for reconciliation.
In an interview on Thursday, the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Chemicals, Plastics and Allied Workers Union Bulawayo branch, Mr Claud Chemba, said they had a long-standing problem with the employers over workers’ affiliation to the union.
He said the problems started when the employer declined to form an association of rubber industries to pave way for an NEC and deal with collective bargaining.
“The employer wants to choose a union for workers, but as workers we are against that idea because constitutionally we should join any union of our choice. We have taken the matter to the Labour Officer who is still consulting as the matter is still at a conciliatory level to facilitate that we resolve the dispute,” said Mr Chemba.
Workers from the four companies joined the Zimbabwe Chemicals, Plastics and Allied Workers’ Union early this year after the union ratified their application.
However, the employer has been reportedly unyielding for the workers to officially affiliate to the union although monthly contributions are being deducted and remitted to the union.
“What the employer should be doing is to deal with workers’ representatives than to force everyone into a union. There is no room for negotiation and as such we do not have a uniform minimum salary for workers. The employer told the Labour Officer that the Rubber Union is there yet there is nothing like that and yesterday’s meeting was then adjourned to a later date. Nothing tangible came out of the meeting because the employer wants to form own union and the Labour Officer wanted to consult with the Registrar of the Labour Court,” said Mr Chemba.
Efforts to get a comment from the Labour Officer a Mr S Willie were fruitless as he was said to be out of office.
Online Reporter