MARONDERA - Workers at a Chinese owned leather manufacturing company, Eagle Italian Leather Turning, have downed tools in protest against the companys defiance to improve employees working conditions. The workers embarked on the job action last week, following the employer, Li Songs disregard of a National Employment Council (NEC) directive that, workers be awarded living salaries backdated to February this year.
The NEC directive was issued last week and was to be effected within seven days. The company is exploiting an 89-strong workforce at a thriving bush located industry here.
According to minutes of a meeting convened by NEC recently to investigate the labour systems at Eagle Italian Company, the company instituted short time working hours without approval in order to pay workers misery wages.
Investigations carried out by ***The Zimbabwean, revealed that the wages averaged US$5 per month. The company, which does not provide employees with adequate protective clothing, also dismissed 13 workers from employment.
The company applied for authority to slow down production, but was advised by NEC that any attempt to implement the proposed short-time work remained illegal unless set down procedures where followed.
Sources privy to operations at the company revealed that workers falling ill due to the dangerous working environment were put on unpaid sick leave. Those injured on duty were not provided with medical expenses.
Dismissed workers have taken their case to the High Court, after both the NEC and the ministry of labour directives were snubbed by the employer. The High Court has allegedly been postponing the hearing for the past two months. There are suspicions that the case may not be given an opportunity to be heard, given the involvement of investors from the government-fancied Eastern Block.
Post published in: Economy