Workers threaten to drag Omnia to court over labour infringements

Fertiliser manufacturing giant, Omnia is accused of unfair labour practices and faces legal actions by employees.

The employees claimed that the company is operating without a clear employee grading system.

"One may be hired as a general hand but ends up being assigned to perform an Accounts' Clerk's duties and there are no clear job descriptions for most workers," said one of the employees.

The employees' also accused the company of not providing any safety clothing ignoring the hazardous nature of the chemical handling business. It is also accused of lying to employees transferred from one region to the other that it would pay a subsistence and relocation allowance of $150-00 which it does not
fulfil.

Whenever the employees' present grievances the company's officials are accused of taking too long some times a year referring the matter from one officer to the other.

One of the former employees, Phillip Mutonhodza who was fired for standing for his labour rights, the conditions of work said conditions at the company had been reduced to the equivalency of slavery.

"What is so disheartening is that the employees' are placed on contracts that are renewed every year. This just amounts to casualization of labour because permanent work is made temporary in order for the employers to make the most out of the workers. I think management is taking advantage of the economic situation in Zimbabwe as evidenced by the emphasis made by the management on reminding us that unemployment is very high and we should be grateful to be employed, whenever we raise issues with them," he said.

Communication documents in relation to the grievances from employees to management forwarded to The Worker confirm that the duration of contracts ranged from three months to a year with nothing concrete finalised on.

Govener Pendai, a Legal Officer with the Zimbabwe Chemicals and Plastics Union under which employees' of Omnia belong, confirmed the developments and said, 'All is not well at the giant fertiliser manufacturing company but we assure the affected that we will do our best to make sure that the law protects them
accordingly.

Omnia's Human Resources and Administration Manager, Dee Engelbrecht said, the contents have been duly noted. As mentioned before, I will be passing your enquiry on to Senior Management for their attention as this falls outside of my authorised jurisdiction.

Omnia is a well-established manufacturer and distributor of speciality, functional and effect chemicals and polymers, with a major presence in every sector of the broader chemical distribution market.

Operating throughout South Africa and widely across the African continent, the company represents a large number of
domestic and international principals, counting among its suppliers many of the world's leading chemical producers.