DIAMOND miner, Anjin Investments (Pvt) Ltd, has threatened to dismiss workers who go on strike in protest over poor salaries and working conditions.
In a memorandum dated May 31 addressed to mining, plant and
workshop workers, mine deputy manager Prosper Munemo said: “I have heard the
position that you took at your meeting with the workers committee in which you
pointed out that you are not going to work tomorrow (Thursday). However, all
those who are on day shift at the plant, mine and workshop should go to work
without fail tomorrow.
“What you ought to understand is that these are
negotiations which take a bit of time to come to a consensus, so as the
negotiations are going on, everyone should be at work.
“Failure to go to work will be taken as AWOL (absent
without official leave) since you did not follow the right procedure about
resorting to a collective job action as laid out in section 104 sub-section (2)
of the Labour Act (Chapter 28.01).”
Anjin is jointly owned by Matt Bronze Enterprises, a
special purpose vehicle owned by the Zimbabwean army, and the Chinese investor
Anhui Foreign Economic Construction Company.
Anjin Investments is involved in diamond exploration and
mining in Manicaland province’s Chiadzwa diamond fields in Marange communal
areas.
In a letter dated June 1, the Zimbabwe Diamonds and Allied
Minerals Workers Union secretary Justice Chinhema, however, called on Anjin
management to stop threatening workers.
Chinhema said the company management should urgently
address the grievances of workers and implement resolutions of a works council
meeting held on May 11, 2023.
“A properly constituted works council is resolved and there
is no other board or structure that can recede or change the resolutions
besides the Labour Court. Further, unless the matters listed hereunder are
addressed, workers have resolved not to report for duty and will continue with
the current collective job action across all departments,” Chinhema wrote.
“The other issues that the workers are demanding to be
resolved are poor working environment (safety and health issues), workers are
working without proper clean ablution facilities, health facilities including
ambulance and medical doctor, working under dusty conditions without suitable
and adequate protective clothing.”
Chinhema added: “The general working conditions are
deplorable and we need to bring to your attention that workers are employed to
work and after working, they expect to get paid a living salary so as to bring
food to their families, pay school fees, medical bills for them and extended
families, buy clothes and enjoy life for someone employed by a diamond mining
company.
“The ball is in your hands and if your management continues
to ignore, workers are happy to continue with their industrial action. We wait
to hear from you before the situation at the mine degenerates into chaos.”
Newsday
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