News / National
Chiadzwa diamond workers strike over salaries
04 Dec 2011 at 21:56hrs | Views
OVER 600 workers at Anjin Investments, one of the biggest mining firms at the Chiadzwa fields, have gone on strike demanding higher salaries and better working conditions in the wake of the KPCS endorsement of diamond sales.
The workers claim the lowest-paid employee (general hand) earns US$180 per month, an amount they want moved to US$600 in line with the poverty datum line.
The strike began on Saturday morning and by late yesterday, the workers were still on strike serve for the security department.
Anjin is among five companies that were licensed by the Government to partner the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation to mine alluvial diamonds in Marange.
Workers in all departments, including the mining, prospecting, power and equipment sections were yesterday seated saying they will only resume their duties after a "reasonable" salary increment.
Anjin Investments human resources manager Ms Lindiwe Ngwenya yesterday confirmed the standoff, but urged the workers to be patient saying results of salary negotiations were not yet out.
"I am in Harare at the moment, but the workers need to know that we were paying them using the investor's money and their requests for salary increments are still being negotiated.
"We were recently given certification and we are expecting to start selling our diamonds next week and for the workers, reason should just prevail," she said.
However, workers committee chairman, Mr John Mupfurutsa, accused management of playing "hide and seek" with the workers.
"All is not rosy . . . We last met management on November 1 following our October 30 sit-in and the signed agreement was that we would have received increased salaries last month.
"We were surprised to receive the usual peanuts on the agreed date and it is clear they are not sincere."
He said no one from management addressed the workers except an official who was only identified as Mr Edgar, who heads the power and equipment department.
"We had no option except to dismiss him since he is also an employee and a mere head of department," he said.
Mr Mupfurutsa said their salaries should be equivalent to those being paid by such companies as Marange Resources and Mbada Diamonds.
"We work day in day out only to be rewarded in that manner. Just like them we have families to feed that is why we need to be treated fairly. We also need protective clothing for us to be safe," he said.
The Chinese firm was recently granted permission by the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme to sell over two million carats of diamonds mined in Marange.
Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation chairman Mr Godwills Masimirembwa said: "I do not have the full details but since the company has been authorised to sell (diamonds), there is no doubt all problems that arose due to Anjin's inability to sell its diamonds will be solved."
The Chiadzwa diamond fields have the potential to satisfy 25 percent of global demand.
The US, Britain and Canada have relentlessly fought to have the Chiadzwa gems barred from the international market for fear that they would help Zimbabwe bust the west's illegal economic sanctions regime.
The workers claim the lowest-paid employee (general hand) earns US$180 per month, an amount they want moved to US$600 in line with the poverty datum line.
The strike began on Saturday morning and by late yesterday, the workers were still on strike serve for the security department.
Anjin is among five companies that were licensed by the Government to partner the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation to mine alluvial diamonds in Marange.
Workers in all departments, including the mining, prospecting, power and equipment sections were yesterday seated saying they will only resume their duties after a "reasonable" salary increment.
Anjin Investments human resources manager Ms Lindiwe Ngwenya yesterday confirmed the standoff, but urged the workers to be patient saying results of salary negotiations were not yet out.
"I am in Harare at the moment, but the workers need to know that we were paying them using the investor's money and their requests for salary increments are still being negotiated.
"We were recently given certification and we are expecting to start selling our diamonds next week and for the workers, reason should just prevail," she said.
However, workers committee chairman, Mr John Mupfurutsa, accused management of playing "hide and seek" with the workers.
"We were surprised to receive the usual peanuts on the agreed date and it is clear they are not sincere."
He said no one from management addressed the workers except an official who was only identified as Mr Edgar, who heads the power and equipment department.
"We had no option except to dismiss him since he is also an employee and a mere head of department," he said.
Mr Mupfurutsa said their salaries should be equivalent to those being paid by such companies as Marange Resources and Mbada Diamonds.
"We work day in day out only to be rewarded in that manner. Just like them we have families to feed that is why we need to be treated fairly. We also need protective clothing for us to be safe," he said.
The Chinese firm was recently granted permission by the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme to sell over two million carats of diamonds mined in Marange.
Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation chairman Mr Godwills Masimirembwa said: "I do not have the full details but since the company has been authorised to sell (diamonds), there is no doubt all problems that arose due to Anjin's inability to sell its diamonds will be solved."
The Chiadzwa diamond fields have the potential to satisfy 25 percent of global demand.
The US, Britain and Canada have relentlessly fought to have the Chiadzwa gems barred from the international market for fear that they would help Zimbabwe bust the west's illegal economic sanctions regime.
Source - TH
