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work after heeding a promise by management that their grievances will be addressed.
NRZ public relations manager Mr Fanuel Masikati confirmed that normal services had resumed.
This is despite the pending case before the Labour Court in Bulawayo where NRZ management filed a show-cause-order for the industrial action from the Zimbabwe Amalgamated Workers’ Union.
“We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused to our valued customers. Normal passenger service will resume today and this includes the Harare-Bulawayo, Bulawayo-Francistown, Bulawayo-Chiredzi and Gweru-Masvingo routes,” said Mr Masikati.
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However, he said the show cause hearing would still take place at the Labour Court with the workers and management filing their heads of arguments.
Mr Masikati said the NRZ was facing challenges due to a bloated workforce of 9 000 workers instead of 5 000.
NRZ did not seek to retrench the excess workers, but retained them while staggering their salaries from way back in 2009.
This resulted in the parastatal incurring arrears in its wage bill, sometimes of up to three months.
Mr Masikati said the strike caught them by surprise as they had expected the workers to wait for the Minister of Transport and Communication Cde Nicholas Goche to address them on 20 October.
NRZ currently generates US$225 000 a day translating to US$7 million a month.
The parastatal’s targeted monthly collection is US$10 million.
Bongani Ndlovu
Online Reporter