Girl Child network hauled to court over unpaid salaries

EIGHT former Girl Child Network (GCN) employees have approached the High Court seeking to register a $25 000 arbitral award in a bid to force the organisation to pay them their outstanding salaries.

According to the court papers, the employees - Ekenia Chifamba, Avril Chiyangwa, Ruzvidzo Chakanetsa, Kumbirai Kahiya, Simbarashe Fero, Tafadzwa Madzimbamuto, Tobias Mugariwa and Winette Murinda - lodged a complaint of unfair dismissal and non-payment of their terminal benefits sometime in April last year.

The disgruntled employees, according to the court papers, were on fixed term contracts. Some had outstanding salaries at the time they were allegedly unfairly dismissed.

Following the report to the Labour Court, an arbitrator, identified only as G Fereshi, was appointed to deliberate over the matter.

Chifamba represented the employees while GCN was represented by Brian Chizengeya.

An oral hearing was conducted by Fereshi on April 5 last year following submissions of written arguments by both parties.

Both parties allegedly agreed that the issue of unfair dismissal be dismissed and that the eight employees be paid a combined total of $25 000 in two equal instalments as outstanding salaries.

The agreed timeframe of the payments was that the first tranche was to be paid by May 15 while the balance ought to have been paid by June 15 last year.

However, despite an assurance by GCN that the money would be paid on the agreed dates, the organisation reneged on the agreement prompting the employees to approach the court to register the arbitral award as a court order to pave way for the execution of the judgment.

GCN was founded by Betty Makoni who is now living in the Diaspora.