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THE National Employment Council (NEC) for the mining industry is expected to present its findings on claims by the Chamber of Mines that the lowest paid worker is getting $302 worth of non-monetary perks. The report will be presented next week at the 2014 collective bargaining negotiations between the Chamber of Mines and the Associated Mine Workers Union of Zimbabwe (AMWUZ).
AMWUZ has proposed a minimum of $573 for the least paid worker up from $227 per month. During the first meeting in the 2014 collective bargain negotiations in November last year, the Chamber of Mines claimed that its members were giving employees accommodation, electricity, water and medication free of charge.
It said if those perks were summed up in monetary terms, they add up to $302 and thus this should also be taken into account before a consensus is made on the 2014 collective bargaining.
Before the 2014 collective bargain negotiations are concluded, the NEC for the mining industry has been tasked to carry out a survey and compile a report on its findings.
AMWUZ president Tinago Ruzive told Business Chronicle yesterday that the NEC had finished the survey and the report was due for presentation to the negotiating parties next week.
“The NEC has informed us that the survey is complete and its work in progress; a report on the findings has not been completed as yet but it (NEC) has promised us that by next week, they will bring the report on the table,” he said.
Of late, workers’ representative unions across the board have called on employers to pay the employees from the public and private sectors PDL-linked salaries.
The government and civil servants’ representatives have agreed on a salary deal that will see the lowest paid employee getting three quarters of the PDL which they set at $505.
Civil servants union leaders agreed to the government offer that brings the total package for the lowest paid civil servant in Grade B1 to $375 up from $297 a month.
The adjustments were effected on the basic salary only and transport ($66) and housing allowances ($91) remained unchanged.
Under the new salary structure, those in Grade D1 (such as teachers straight out of college) would get $500 up from $446 while those in E1 such as deputy directors would get $623.
However, the private sector fears that the increment awarded by government can trigger similar demands in the private sector and companies would not be able to match salary and wages equivalent to PDL without affecting their viability.
Online Reporter