NRZ workers to stage demo

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MORE than 4 000 National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) workers drawn from Bulawayo, Harare, Gweru and Mutare are set to stage a demonstration protesting the non-payment of salaries.

MORE than 4 000 National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) workers drawn from Bulawayo, Harare, Gweru and Mutare are set to stage a demonstration protesting the non-payment of salaries.

NQOBILE BHEBHE CHIEF REPORTER

NRZ workers have gone for more than 10 months without pay.

The demonstrations come after the High Court granted the workers the go-ahead to stage peaceful protests last month.

Police had barred the Zimbabwe Railways Artisans’ Union (ZRAU), Railways Associations of Engineers and Railways Association of Yard Operating unions from staging any form of industrial action claiming that they were likely to turn violent.

ZRAU president Honest Mudzete told Southern Eye yesterday that demonstrations would definitely be held on Saturday.

“We are taking to the streets on Saturday in Bulawayo, Harare, Gweru and Mutare to highlight our plight to the rest of the country,” said Mudzete.

“Salary arrears now date back to 10 months and at one point management converted part of the outstanding salaries into leave days and termed that a liability. They went on to further unliterary slash our pay and called that unbaked pay,” he said.

Mudzete said by taking to the streets, the workers hoped to force the government as the sole shareholder of the rail company to act.

“Most workers were forced to withdraw children from their preferred schools and some of us were kicked out of rented houses due to non-payment. We want the government to realise that management they hired is oppressing workers.”

The trade unions’ leaders are expected to present a detailed protest outline at a press conference today.

According to a High Court order issued by judge Justice Charles Hungwe in Harare, workers should “demonstrate and promote their rights to freedom of association and assembly and the right to demonstrate as set out in Sections 58 and 59 of the Constitution”.

NRZ workers are owed in excess of $55 million in unpaid salaries.

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