Company Fails to Pay Workers

Harare — BONNEZIM, a tinned foods producing company in Chegutu, has reportedly failed to pay workers' salaries since the introduction of the multi-currency system early last year.

The management has allegedly been playing hide-and-seek games with workers whenever they plan to take their case to court.

Food and Allied Workers Union general secretary, Mr Dickson Tarusenga, has accused the company of grossly violating the workers' rights.

"As a union we find it hard to take up the case to the court because each time we try to do that the management pretends to be solving the case and even go to the extent of signing agreements which are never fulfilled.

"In September the workers held a two-day job action and management resolved to pay the outstanding wages in six days but until now, they have not been paid. Management kept on promising to pay in several correspondences to workers," he said.

Mr Tarusenga said the workers' compounds based in Chegutu had been without electricity and water after disconnections for non-payment of bills by the same employer, who is refusing to pay them.

"There are high fears disease outbreaks especially cholera will occur. The company fully knows that it has not paid its workers but went on to cut off their water and electricity supplies.

"Where does management expect workers to get the money to settle those bills when they are not paying them," he added.

However Bonnezim chairman Mr Brian Mushohwe confirmed that the company owes workers wages for five to six months and not 11 months as alleged by workers.

He said the company had not made any sales to raise money to pay the workers and it could not take money from other investments to clear the debts of another subsidiary.

"We are trying to resuscitate the company which was under rogue management. We have since found a new investor and we are hoping that in a few months' time the company would be on a different level.

"Workers must understand that the company is not ignoring them totally. We are making frantic efforts to clear the wages backlog," he said.

Mr Mushohwe said the company paid the electricity and water bills in late December.

"The company -- like many companies in the country -- is still trying to recapitalise, we discussed with workers that we will pay them their dues once sales improve."

The minutes with resolutions passed by the Works Council and signed by all parties on September 4, last year reveal that the company still owes workers December 2008 wages and increments.