Workers suspended for demanding to meet with director

Zimbabwe Blue Line Cleaners has suspended without pay, 20 of its workers at the Southerton depot in Harare for demanding a meeting with the company director over $270 000 salary arrears they are owed.

Commercial Workers Union Zimbabwe official, Stratton Muhambi, said the workers, who had not been paid for more than four months, were first suspended on May 9 this year after they had gone to the Directors office on the

previous day demanding explanations on their outstanding salaries.

"The workers were first served with letters of suspension on the 9th of May for allegedly engaging in an illegal collective job action after they had gathered in the company director's office seeking an audience with him. They were, however, handed letters of reinstatement before they had even gone for hearings," he said.

Muhambi said the workers, were, however, again given letters of suspension this Wednesday for the same incident, but this time being charged with sabotaging the company.

"It has come to management's attention that on the morning of 7 May 2015, you engaged in sabotage action which affected the normal operations of the organization. Such action interrupted services necessary for one and half hours and the company failed to deliver laundry to other key clients," read part of the suspension letter dated 21 May 2015 and signed by Bright Mavhiya, who was only introduced to the workers as the Human Resources manager on the day in question.

The workers are being charged in terms of Section 4:4 of the NEC Employment Disciplinary Code of Conduct for interfering, damaging property and interrupting with operations, which all the 20 are denying.

They have since been given notice to attend hearings on different days.

The workers accused the employer of bullying and employing intimidatory tactics to deny them their salaries, saying he always boasted of his political connections. They claimed Mavhiya had already hired casual workers from his rural home to replace them.

"Management is running the company like a tuck-shop and is victimizing workers, some of whom have served the organization for more than 40 years. They are only avoiding paying packages and are trying to frustrate us," said one of the irate workers.

He said management was staggering payments of a meager $39 per week wage, a sign that they were not concerned about the welfare of the workers.

The company Director, Narendrakhuma Zavry confirmed the suspensions but refused to comment further, referring further questions to Mavhiya, who also refused to comment.