News / National
Let's stand with banking sector - Shutdown Chinese Mines Exploiting Workers - Union
12 Feb 2022 at 03:25hrs | Views
NMWUZ - National Mine Workers' Union of Zimbabwe President Mr Kurebwa Javangwe Nomboka has said that his organization is in solidarity with striking teachers and workers in the banking sector who continue to be given paltry salary adjustments which are way down below the PDL - Poverty Datum Line.
"What employers are doing is not in tandem with ratified ILO - International Labor Organization standards for decent work for all employees in Zimbabwe. That's the reason why we continue to stand in solidarity with all workers including those in the banking and education sectors," said Nomboka.
Meanwhile, he has urged parents to rally behind striking teachers by not sending their children to school this first schooling term of 2022.
"I urge parents, spouses and their dependants right across the country of Zimbabwe to support teachers and bankers in their quest for decent work".
Consequently, both the education and banking sectors are key to maintaining the moral and social fabric of society. The current decay and neglect of employees by employers could result in increase of corruption levels in especially the education and banking sectors. The education sector is key to regulating the moral and social fabric of society. If the banking sector is dysfunctional that might result in a continuous economic system failure.
"We agree that all workers deserve a living wage that offers them peace of mind. And when we work we must eat. US$900.00 for general workers in the banking sector is a good start. We reject the offer recently awarded to teachers as a direct mockery to employees and in this respect our very own teachers in Zimbabwe," retorted Nomboka.
PTUZ - Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe, ARTUZ - Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, ZIBAW - Zimbabwe Banks and Allied Workers Union and others are among key workers' Unions in Zimbabwe that NMWUZ has been support their causes for quite a long time now.
Meanwhile, NMWUZ President has warned employers that ending protests and strikes will be on as long as they continue to pay a deaf ear to the demands of mine workers this 2022.
"This time around the Union will rope - in spouses and dependants of mine workers in all thier industrial actions of 2022 Andi will be in the forefront leading the protests," Nomboka was quoted while responding to question posed by a reporter.
"Amandla awethu, gore rino igore remasimba evashandi - mari kuvashandi, 2022 - year of workers' rights - decent work for the worker," said Nomboka in a Union slogan.
Mine workers are demanding thier employers to give them COVID-19 monthly allowance and salaries in USD - United States dollars that are above PDL.
Apparently, the above PDL for a general hand in the mining industry is US$650.00.
"Finance Minister Mthuli is simply playing with mathematics and has done nothing to up the salaries of teachers but has merely converted the rtgs$ they have been paying teachers into USD and to me that's exploitation and infringement of the rights of workers.
2022, Nomboka stated, would be a year of shutting down all Chinese mining firms who have continue to exploit employees working in their minds.
"This year we're tougher on all Chinese mining firms who have refused to realize employee rights but instead continue to harass workers by beating them, making them work longer hours without breaks, no suitable safety wear and unpaid salaries among the plethora of ill-habits against their workforce. Many are evading taxes and destroying the environment with displacement of locals and zero benefit-sharing with locals," stated Nomboka.
According to a recent article by ILO - International Labor Organization, ZIBAW has taken the first steps towards the establishment of a worker cooperative which will provide employment opportunities for its members who lost their jobs in 2015.
ZIBAW was established in 1961, and is the largest organisation representing employees in the banking and financial services sector in Zimbabwe. The advent of trade liberalisation saw Merchant Banks and Discount Houses being opened in the financial services sector.
"What employers are doing is not in tandem with ratified ILO - International Labor Organization standards for decent work for all employees in Zimbabwe. That's the reason why we continue to stand in solidarity with all workers including those in the banking and education sectors," said Nomboka.
Meanwhile, he has urged parents to rally behind striking teachers by not sending their children to school this first schooling term of 2022.
"I urge parents, spouses and their dependants right across the country of Zimbabwe to support teachers and bankers in their quest for decent work".
Consequently, both the education and banking sectors are key to maintaining the moral and social fabric of society. The current decay and neglect of employees by employers could result in increase of corruption levels in especially the education and banking sectors. The education sector is key to regulating the moral and social fabric of society. If the banking sector is dysfunctional that might result in a continuous economic system failure.
"We agree that all workers deserve a living wage that offers them peace of mind. And when we work we must eat. US$900.00 for general workers in the banking sector is a good start. We reject the offer recently awarded to teachers as a direct mockery to employees and in this respect our very own teachers in Zimbabwe," retorted Nomboka.
PTUZ - Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe, ARTUZ - Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, ZIBAW - Zimbabwe Banks and Allied Workers Union and others are among key workers' Unions in Zimbabwe that NMWUZ has been support their causes for quite a long time now.
Meanwhile, NMWUZ President has warned employers that ending protests and strikes will be on as long as they continue to pay a deaf ear to the demands of mine workers this 2022.
"This time around the Union will rope - in spouses and dependants of mine workers in all thier industrial actions of 2022 Andi will be in the forefront leading the protests," Nomboka was quoted while responding to question posed by a reporter.
"Amandla awethu, gore rino igore remasimba evashandi - mari kuvashandi, 2022 - year of workers' rights - decent work for the worker," said Nomboka in a Union slogan.
Mine workers are demanding thier employers to give them COVID-19 monthly allowance and salaries in USD - United States dollars that are above PDL.
Apparently, the above PDL for a general hand in the mining industry is US$650.00.
"Finance Minister Mthuli is simply playing with mathematics and has done nothing to up the salaries of teachers but has merely converted the rtgs$ they have been paying teachers into USD and to me that's exploitation and infringement of the rights of workers.
2022, Nomboka stated, would be a year of shutting down all Chinese mining firms who have continue to exploit employees working in their minds.
"This year we're tougher on all Chinese mining firms who have refused to realize employee rights but instead continue to harass workers by beating them, making them work longer hours without breaks, no suitable safety wear and unpaid salaries among the plethora of ill-habits against their workforce. Many are evading taxes and destroying the environment with displacement of locals and zero benefit-sharing with locals," stated Nomboka.
According to a recent article by ILO - International Labor Organization, ZIBAW has taken the first steps towards the establishment of a worker cooperative which will provide employment opportunities for its members who lost their jobs in 2015.
ZIBAW was established in 1961, and is the largest organisation representing employees in the banking and financial services sector in Zimbabwe. The advent of trade liberalisation saw Merchant Banks and Discount Houses being opened in the financial services sector.
Source - Maxwell Teedzai
