MINE workers have expressed grave concerns over the trend in which many mining companies in the country under-declare the salaries and benefits they pay to expatriate employees, including even the number of such workers employed in the sector.
The reservations were made by the Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Minerals Workers Union (ZDAMWU)general-secretary Justice Chinhema recently.
“ZDAMWU expresses its grave concern regarding the widespread practice among certain mining companies in Zimbabwe to under-declare salaries, and benefits paid to expatriate employees, including the actual number of such workers employed at the mine,”he said.
“Reports coming from our members of expatriate employees in the sector having their earnings under-declared are worrisome.
“This is a disturbing trend that undermines our highly qualified Zimbabwean workforce and violates our labour laws."
Chinhema said ZDAMWU condemned“this deliberate misrepresentation” of expatriate remuneration “aimed at evading tax obligations and statutory contributions”.
He said the majority of the expatriates were given long-term contacts, while local workers were on short-fixed contacts.
“This conduct not only jeopardises the revenue base essential for national development, but also fosters unfair competition within the labour market, marginalising Zimbabwean workers who are equally and, in many cases, better qualified.
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“We reiterate the critical need to strictly limit the number of expatriate workers to only those whose skills are genuinely unavailable locally.
“The union calls upon mining companies to comply fully with the terms of work permits and labour regulations without exceptions.”
Chinhema said failure to uphold these regulations threatened both the integrity of the country’s labour market and the welfare of local employees.
He said furthermore, ZDAMWU demands that all employers maintain full transparency by accurately declaring expatriate salaries and benefits and issuing payslips reflecting the complete and true earnings alongside statutory deductions.
Decent work, Chinhema said, is a fundamental right and includes not only correct pay, but also adequate personal protective equipment, safe working conditions and legally mandated rest periods to ensure the health and safety of all workers.
“ZDAMWU is committed to working in partnership with the government to monitor compliance rigorously and to hold all offending employers accountable.”
He said the exploitation of Zimbabwean workers through salary under-declaration and the excessive employment of expatriates would be vigorously opposed.
“We call on all mining operators to adhere to lawful, transparent and equitable employment practices that recognise and prioritise the rights of Zimbabwean workers while contributing positively to the country’s economic growth and social development,” he said.
Zimbabwe has seen a proliferation of foreign- owned mining companies, mostly owned by Chinese nationals, who also bring a number of their Chinese workers amid concerns by the union.
Indications are that these foreign workers earn far much better than locals, a development that is worrying the union.
