ZCTU complains over unfaithful employers

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THE TRANSPORT and General Workers Union, an affiliate of the ZCTU, has complained that transport companies owe millions of dollars in unremitted workers’ subscriptions.

THE TRANSPORT and General Workers Union, an affiliate of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, has complained that transport companies owe millions of dollars in unremitted workers’ subscriptions, a development seriously crippling its efforts to represent workers.

STAFF REPORTER

In an interview yesterday, the newly-elected union president Nores Chademana said the union was facing a lot of challenges due to unfaithfulness of employers in the sector.

He accused employers of allegedly deducting subscriptions from workers’ pay but not remitting it to the union. Chademana said Harare topped the list of defaulting companies, followed by Bulawayo, Gweru, Masvingo and Mutare. He could not be drawn into revealing the exact amount the union is owed.

“We are owed a lot of money, we have to first calculate it to give you an overall figure,” he said.

“For example, one bus company owes us a total of more than $100 000 in unremitted dues, with some companies owing us far more than that.

“This is a sign that our unremitted subscriptions run into millions of dollars.” Chademana said the union represents workers drawn from the road, air and the rail transport sector.

He said parastatals such as Air Zimbabwe and the National Railways of Zimbabwe had huge arrears to the union. “We are calling for the new government to put into place laws which will make it an offence for employers to default remitting workers’ union dues, as that is a violation of workers’ rights,” Chademana said.

Chademana was last week elected president of the union at a congress held in Harare, while Zvareva Shekuziva will be deputy.

Tafadzwa Matanhire was elected the general-secretary, Wilson Dube deputy general-secretary and Clement Tshuma treasurer.

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