Chinese miner threatens workers over strike

DIAMOND miner, Anjin Investments (Pvt) Ltd, has threatened to dismiss workers who go on strike in protest over poor salaries and working conditions.

In a memorandum dated May 31 addressed to mining, plant and workshop workers, mine deputy manager Prosper Munemo said: "I have heard the position that you took at your meeting with the workers committee in which you pointed out that you are not going to work tomorrow (Thursday). However, all those who are on day shift at the plant, mine and workshop should go to work without fail tomorrow.

"What you ought to understand is that these are negotiations which take a bit of time to come to a consensus, so as the negotiations are going on, everyone should be at work.

"Failure to go to work will be taken as AWOL (absent without official leave) since you did not follow the right procedure about resorting to a collective job action as laid out in section 104 sub-section (2) of the Labour Act (Chapter 28.01)."

Anjin is jointly owned by Matt Bronze Enterprises, a special purpose vehicle owned by the Zimbabwean army, and the Chinese investor Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Company.

Anjin Investments is involved in diamond exploration and mining in Manicaland province's Chiadzwa diamond fields in Marange communal areas.

In a letter dated June 1, the Zimbabwe Diamonds and Allied Minerals Workers Union secretary Justice Chinhema, however, called on Anjin management to stop threatening workers.

Chinhema said the company management should urgently address the grievances of workers and implement resolutions of a works council meeting held on May 11, 2023.

"A properly constituted works council is resolved and there is no other board or structure that can recede or change the resolutions besides the Labour Court. Further, unless the matters listed hereunder are addressed, workers have resolved not to report for duty and will continue with the current collective job action across all departments," Chinhema wrote.

"The other issues that the workers are demanding to be resolved are poor working environment (safety and health issues), workers are working without proper clean ablution facilities, health facilities including ambulance and medical doctor, working under dusty conditions without suitable and adequate protective clothing."

Chinhema added: "The general working conditions are deplorable and we need to bring to your attention that workers are employed to work and after working, they expect to get paid a living salary so as to bring food to their families, pay school fees, medical bills for them and extended families, buy clothes and enjoy life for someone employed by a diamond mining company.

"The ball is in your hands and if your management continues to ignore, workers are happy to continue with their industrial action. We wait to hear from you before the situation at the mine degenerates into chaos."