SIXTY-NINE employees at a Gweru-based Chinese-owned Ferro Alloy Smelter Company, Nelson Holdings (Pvt) Ltd, have been awarded $106 693 in salary arrears by an arbitrator.
Stephen Chadenga OWN CORRESPONDENT
The award is for underpayment of salaries for the period January 2013 to September 2014 in which the employer paid workers $193 against the $220 minimum wage stipulated by the mining industry.
Documents seen by the Southern Eye indicate that Nelson Holdings (Pvt) Ltd company had applied to National Employment Council to be exempted from making payments after a hearing conducted on August 5 2014.
“We are doing everything we can to resolve the issue,” part of the letter written by the company to the arbitrator, Matthias Ruziwa reads.
“However, we would like to wait for the response from NEC (National Employment Council) before we can make payments.”
In his judgment, Ruziwa said Nelson Holdings had showed arrogance in its application to be exempted from paying.
“Having taken into full account the facts and evidence placed before me by the parties, claimants should be paid NEC minimum wages for the period January 2013 to September 2014 as per the collective agreement for Ferro Alloy Industry dated August 30, 2013,” he said in his arbitration award.
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“The total amount payable to 69 claimants is $106 693.”
Scores of workers told this paper on condition of anonymity that their employer was still to honour the arbitration award.
“They are even threatening workers with dismissal for fighting for their labour rights,” one worker said.
Efforts to get comment from the Chinese company were in vain at time of going to print.
