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STAKEHOLDERS in Zimbabwe’s security guards sector are advocating for the setting up of an industry pension fund to cushion workers when they leave employment. Private Security Workers’ Union (PSWU) general secretary Mr John Manyuchi said negotiations with other unions in the sector had started.
“We have engaged other stakeholders in the industry such as the Zimbabwe National Security Association, Security Association of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Security Guards Union so that we lobby for the setting up of a pension fund for workers in the sector.
“Of late, we have noted with concern that our members were being paid gratuities when they leave employment for only those that would have worked for at least five years.
“It is a cause for concern that the gratuity is not enough thus the need to set up a pension fund to cover all those that would have worked in the private security guard industry,” he said.
He said it was their wish to have the pension fund established as soon as possible so that the welfare of their members was improved.
“It is our wish to have the pension fund set up like yesterday, however, coming up with such a fund is a process and we cannot give specific timelines in relation to its establishment,” he said.
Mr Manyuchi said the lowest paid worker in the sector was earning $236 a month.
However, he said some employers in the industry were paying less than the gazetted figure.
“We agreed as negotiators with employers’ representatives sometime in June this year that the workers’ salaries should be increased by 6,3 percent resulting in the lowest paid employee earning $236 a month. However, some employers are still paying lower than the agreed figure,” he said.
In May this year, PSWU and the Zimbabwe Security Guards Union threatened to strike to compel employers to award the workers a 40 percent pay rise.
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