…government called to intervene
Recent sad developments at the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) which saw management responding to the disgruntled striking workers with an application for a “show cause” order is a clear sign that the company does not value its workers and their families .
The company’s management decision is not only contrary to labor laws, but a contravention of the constitution of the country which must be condemned.
The NRZ is inconsiderate that the striking workers have gone for than 15 months without getting paid and the company, instead of showing remorse and concern, the management recklessly adds salt to the wound by punishing their employees who are already languishing in poverty.
The People’s Democratic Party women`s assembly has condemned the company’s and calls its management to seriously consider their plight as opposed to the application at the courts for a show cause order, this application is meaningless at this point in time as the company already know the cause of the strike which they seek to be shown.
Chipo Taderera, PDP Women Assembly Secretary for labour who is also an NRZ employee says women and children are the most affected by the company’s negligence as most of them have been left homeless and living in miserable conditions because of nonpayment of salaries.
“It is disturbing how the NRZ is playing a blind eye and literally adopt a ‘business as usual approach to the dire conditions they have subjected the employees and their families to, it’s high time a solution is found before the situation gets worse”, said Taderera.
This comes in backdrop of the company allegedly awarding its top management hefty tax free allowances ranging from $3000 to $6000 per month at the expense their employees who are endlessly suffering.
Linda Tsungirirai Masarira, a former NRZ employee and National Coordinator and Founder for the Zimbabwe Women in Politics Alliance says the NRZ issue has elapsed for a long time now without any meaningful solution in sight and the company’s attitude is a typical example of modern day slavery.
“How does one explain a very big company like NRZ, which is seen everyday day operating and transacting and fail to pay its workers and yet expect them to report for duty every day?
“We see granite stones being transported everyday in the wagons and you surely cannot say these companies are not paying for this , this is a typical example of modern day slavery which must be condemned at all levels”, said Masarira.
Furthermore the company has been embroiled in serious corruption allegations which have been attributed to the underperformance of the company; therefore the management of the company must not take advantage of helpless the employees by making them suffer the consequences of their corrupt activities.
Most NRZ employees have been rendered homeless and are living like destitute because they can’t pay rentals anymore due to nonpayment of salaries; their children have since dropped out of school and are living in squeal conditions.
The company management, particularly it’s acting General Manager Mr. Lewis Makwada who applied for the “show cause” order`s action is a sign of gross mismanagement and incompetency which must be condemned at all levels.
We therefore call the company to put its house in order, pay workers their outstanding salaries instead letting the innocent workers suffer.
It is high time the governments intervenes and take action with immediate effect to the NRZ issue which has reached a stage where it has amounted to national disaster.
