Chinese firms abuse workers

News
Chinese firms operating in the Midlands capital are giving labour unions headaches through unsafe working conditions and other unfair labour practices, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) central region chairperson Martin Tazvivinga has said.

Chinese firms operating in the Midlands capital are giving labour unions headaches through unsafe working conditions and other unfair labour practices, Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) central region chairperson Martin Tazvivinga has said.

Stephen Chadenga OWN CORRESPONDENT

Speaking at a press briefing on the state of industries in the region last week, Tazvivinga said the union was facing hurdles in dealing with the Chinese, as they were not forthcoming in dealing with labour matters at their workplaces.

Since the advent of the Look East Policy in 2007 by the government, the country has witnessed an influx of Chinese companies in the economy.

“You go to a Chinese-owned workplace and you want to speak on the working conditions workers there, they tell you they cannot understand English,” Tazvivinga said.

“But surprisingly when you want to inquire about doing business with them, they can communicate.

“This is giving us headaches, as a labour union in dealing with them.”

He said that because of rampant unfair labour practices by the Chinese, the labour union had since approached the Chinese embassy in trying to come up with a lasting solution to the problem.

Tazvivinga said in most cases, workers work without safety clothing and in poor working conditions.

According to the ZCTU report, new players in the industry, and Chinese owned companies in Gweru, like Jin An, Xin Yu and Nelson Holdings operate under pathetic working conditions.

“Workers are underpaid and the courts are choked with cases from these Chinese-owned companies,” the report notes.

Analysts have slammed the Chinese for dubious deals and slave labour practices that have put the safety of workers under threat.