adminNokusa Masuku Chronicle Reporter
THE High Court has given National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) workers the greenlight to go on strike on Saturday over non-payment of salaries. High Court Judge, Justice Charles Hungwe, overruled an earlier decision by police in the four provinces of Bulawayo, Harare, Midlands and Manicalandto bar the workers from demonstrating last month.
Railways Artisans’ Union (RAU) president Shadreck Mutakura told journalists in Bulawayo yesterday the demonstrations would be held in Bulawayo, Harare, Mutare and Gweru.
He said more than 6,000 employees were owed 10 months’ salaries running into millions of dollars.
NRZ’s acting general manager Engineer Lewis Mukwada recently set the figure at $55 million.
“We are the biggest employer and first choice for many. The planned demonstration is a way of informing the nation and government that things are not well. Workers have suffered a lot due to non- payment of salaries, poor infrastructure and poor working conditions”, said Mutakura.
He said NRZ was the missing link for Zim-Asset to succeed.
“NRZ is the first vehicle in improving the economy as it offers the most affordable bulk transport.
“A lot of accidents are happening at the company due to poor infrastructure and we would like the government to take charge as no one is listening,” he said.
The president of Railway Association of Yard Operation Staff (RAYOS) George Chatambudza said workers were failing to send their children to school.
“Our children are not going to school and the problem is caused by management which is failing to run the company. The managers can all afford to send their children to expensive schools,” said Chatambudza.
Honest Mudzete, president of Railway Association of Enginemen (RAE) said banks were no longer lending money to NRZ workers.
In his ruling Justice Hungwe stated: “The orders prohibiting the demonstrations be set aside, as they have no legal basis.”
He noted that police had violated Section 58 and 59 of the Constitution.
Justice Hungwe said the NRZ employees should exercise their constitutional right to freedom of association and assembly.
“The applicants go ahead with the scheduled demonstration and promote their rights to freedom of association and assembly, and the right to demonstrate as set out in sections 58 and 59 of the Constitution respectively. The applicants proceed with the peaceful demonstration to be rescheduled on another future date without the interference of the respondents”, said Justice Hungwe.
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