Over 400 dismissed workers heed ZCTU litigation call

Four-hundred of the more than 20 000 workers who lost their jobs following the July 17 Supreme Court ruling have submitted their dismissal letters to the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) to take legal action against their former employers and to force them to pay their packages.

ZCTU president George Nkiwane said the union had engaged the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights to pressure companies to pay workers following amendments to the Labour Act. The July Supreme Court ruling allowed employers to terminate employees' contracts on three months' notice.

Nkiwane, however, was aghast at the small number of workers who were willing to be part of the litigation, saying it was disheartening that many workers were failing to stand for their rights.

He said the economic and political situation in the country had rendered workers passive when it comes to standing up for their rights.