EMPLOYEES of hospitality and retail group, Meikles Limited, who were retrenched in March, on Wednesday staged a demonstration at the company’s Bulawayo branch demanding their retrenchment packages.
BY MTHANDAZO NYONI/MELODY CHIMHAU
The company served employees with termination of employment letters March, as reportedly targeted releasing more than 70% of its workforce.
Worker representatives told Southern Eye that Meikles Bulawayo had retrenched 33 workers from 43.
They accused the group of operating in bad faith, blaming managing director Phillip Ellse of introducing the exercise to get rid of permanent workers, who are more expensive to maintain than contract employees.
Affected employees expressed surprise, saying they had not been notified of the development before receiving termination letters.
Close to 50 employees, who were part of the demonstration, accused John Moxon, the company’s chairman for being a bogus businessman and for breaching their contracts
They were singing and dancing carrying posters written: “40 years of service, we need our money Moxon. I have a right to life” “Gone are the days of slavery” “Pay us our retrenchment exercise now”.
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Counter sales person, Owen Chidangadura, who was the leading the protesters, told Southern Eye that there had been delays in releasing their retrenchment funds.
“This is an abuse,” he said.
“We have families and all we want is our retrenchment packages and which will boost us to start businesses.
“They should give us our money before they merge with other organisations.
“Of late we have heard that Meikles is venturing into other businesses like mining pouring a lot of millions, so why can’t they give 153 people their money and let them and start news lives somewhere?
“We don’t care about working for Meikles, but what we want is to be paid for what we have worked for in the past 40 years.”
Chidangadura said Moxon and other top management were insensitive to their plight.
“We have since tried other avenues like going to Harare to see the company secretary, Thabani Mpofu, who has written numerous letters to Moxon himself but they are not responding, we are only getting fake promises.”
Workers said the company owes them arrears on a 10% salary increment awarded to them in 2012.
They said the company gave them flat amounts disregarding years of service.
Meikles Limited chairman, John Moxon and company secretary, Mpofu could not be reached for comment.
