25 mine workers fired for illegal strike

GURUS Holdings has fired about 25 employees who went on an illegal strike at its Freda Gold Mine in Gwanda District last week following a salary payment dispute.

In an interview on Friday, Gurus Holdings managing director Mr Ignatius Gonah confirmed that about 25 employees had been fired after they engaged in an illegal five-day strike.

"Our workers went on an illegal strike for five days but we resolved that they should come back to work as their grievances would be attended to. However, about 25 of them did not come back and we have since fired them," he said.

Mr Gonah said the company, working together with the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, had come up with a payment plan for the workers.

"I am surprised that they (workers) are coming to Chronicle when we actually came to an agreement and an announcement was made in the presence of the police as to how they are going to get their money.

"They know the state of the affairs at the company," said Mr Gonah.

Workers at Gurus Holdings had gone for three months without getting their salaries, a situation that forced them to go on strike.

Workers said the strike came to a halt after the management promised to pay them $60, which was expected to cushion them from the economic challenges.

They said the mine had failed to pay them for the past three months citing financial challenges yet revenue generated was said to be channelled to other business operations at the expense of workers.

"We don't understand why this mine claims to be facing financial challenges because there is a lot of production taking place.  They have been making some promises on paying us for the past months and some of us are no longer motivated to continue working there.

"We were promised that by Friday end of day, we would be given $60 each, which is not even half my salary for a month," said a worker who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Some workers said after receiving the promised $60, they would use the money to go back to their homes.

"We have been forced to take some groceries from the company shop because we don't have any other resources to use to buy elsewhere.

"Once our salaries are out, we are not going to get anything since we already owe them huge sums of money as the goods in the shop are expensive. A 10kg bag of mealie-meal is $9 while in some shops it is around $6," said another worker.

The workers said the Government should intervene as they engaged in dangerous mining operations yet they were not provided with any protective clothing.

The National Union of Mines, Quarry, Iron, Steel workers of Zimbabwe (NUMQISWZ) Matabeleland South provincial area organiser Mr Onias Munenga said there was a need for the Government to intervene and save the mine workers at Gurus Holdings.

"Of all the small scale mines in the province, what is happening at Gurus is totally disturbing. We are therefore calling upon the Government to temporarily take over the mine for at least three months. By so doing, we believe workers would get better treatment.

"Workers are given multiple jobs but not paid fairly. The agreement made was that after three weeks, workers will be given a month's salary plus and part payments for the previous months," said Mr Munenga.