Opinion / Columnist
Marvo Workers Cry Foul
06 Jan 2015 at 10:03hrs | Views
The festive season has come and gone with most of people having enjoyed their holidays visiting family and friends buying groceries for themselves and others around them, but for Marvo Stationery workers it was bad holiday for them, having last received $10 in May 2014 only to be disappointed at the last minute on Thursday 18 December 2014 when they were told that they have to go on forced 0ne month leave without pay.
The Company only gave its workers 30 rejects exercise books each. Marvo workers have become destitute despite the fact that they are employed; they fail to pay school fees for their children, their house rents, food and clothing even hospital bills for some among other things.
The situation has become very bad that it can not be ignored anymore and it needs to be condemned in the strongest terms. The workers have been patient for a long time despite the Company's management insincerity the management have been promising workers a lot but they don't fulfill their promises always. The workers committee and the management have signed more than 4 agreements but they have not been implemented since 2012.
It is clear to all and sundry that Marvo Stationery no longer needs all those employees since they now import finished goods but surprisingly even after some of the workers have voluntarily said they are willing to resign and leave the company on condition that the company pays them all their back pays or at least give them two thirds of their back pays together with a payment plan the company still refuse to pay them. It is now not clear whether they really want to pay the workers or they want them dead?
Workers are owed between $5 000 and $20 000 with the economic situation of this country being bad like this there are no prospects of getting new jobs which is why workers cannot resign without their salaries it is better to resign with your money so that at least you can do something.
What is happening at Marvo is slavery and human rights abuse of poor workers in this day and age how can people work without pay what is that called if not slavery? What worries workers most is the failure by government to protect them against corrupt employers.
Source - Concerned Marvo Worker
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