NUST workers seek disbandment of union

National University of Science and Technology workers who are members of the Zimbabwe State Universities and Allied Workers Unions (ZISUAWU) have written a letter to the ministry of labour asking it to disband the union on grounds that it has failed to execute its mandate as given by the students.

In a letter dated June 1, 2015 written by one of the union members Etiwel Mutero addressed to the Registrar in the ministry of labour stated that they were concerned over the union's failure to assist them in times of needy.

"This letter serves to apply for the suspension of the Zimbabwe State Universities & Allied Workers Union in terms of the Labour Act Section 39 (i) over the following issues," reads the letter.

"The Union had failed to comply with the Labour Act Section 35 (b) which requires "the keeping of books of accounts and the submission of such books of accounts for auditing within three months of the end of each financial year, and the making available to members of certified true copies of the audited accounts and the auditor's report thereon" .The Union had failed to produce not even a single audited book of accounts ever since it was formed in 2004."

The workers said the Union had failed also to comply with Section 35 (e ) which demands the equitable sharing of the Union funds with any of its branches.

"The Union funds are not being equitably shared with respective Workers Committees the only Union branches available," reads the letter.

"The Union is operating without a bank account since 2004 with suspicion that the union funds are being deposited into a personal account.The Union instead of embarking on activities which promotes the interests of its members had embarked on corrupt Stands scandals which saw members loosing large sums of money to unscrupulous land developers in which Union leaders were members of such land developer organizations. An example is the NUST Umguza Housing Scheme. The Current Union leaders had stayed in office for over their 4 year term of office specified in its constitution article 14 (a)."

The workers said the Union Constitution stipulates that new officials will be elected only at a National Congress held after each 4 years. The Union did not hold any congress ever since 2004 when it was registered making the current officers illegitimate and illegal.

"The Constitution says there are permanent posts which cannot be contested at Congress but it does not state which posts were permanent and therefore cannot be contested. The applicant also wants to state that this issue of uncontested posts defeats the issue of democracy at workplace is enshrined in the Labour Act," reads the letter. "The Union Amended its name without any approval of the National Congress as required by its constitution art.29.The amendment therefore is null and void and must be reversed until the committee proves the National Congress was held and approved the amendment."

They prayed that the Zimbabwe State Universities & Allied Workers Union be suspended, barred ordered to stop deducting, receiving or withdrawing or using any union funds until they comply with section 35 (b) and (e) of the Labour Act, that disciplinary proceedings in terms of the Union Constitution be instituted against the President and the Secretary for Legal Affairs for defrauding UNION members of their money through the shoddy NUST UMGUZA HOUSING SCHEME. and That the current leadership of the union be declared illegitimate or illegal because no National Congress was ever held to appoint or elect it into office.