Renco Mine workers have pledged to continue their strike, now on its 11th day, until all outstanding salaries are paid.
The miners downed tools on October 9, 2024, over unpaid wages dating back to July. Renco Mine is a subsidiary of the RioZim Limited Group.
One worker who preferred anonymity told <a href="https://businesstimes.co.zw/renco-mine-workers-down-tools/">Business Times</a>: “We’ve had enough of empty promises. We can’t continue working without being paid for months on end. Management needs to resolve this once and for all.”
When contacted by Business Times for a comment, Renco Mine’s general manager, Irvine Taurayi Nyamukondiwa, directed all inquiries to the corporate communications department.
The publication reported that all attempts to obtain a comment from the corporate communications department were unsuccessful.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

Renco Mine workers are on strike because they have not been paid their wages since July. They want their money before they go back to work. The strike has been going on for 11 days. The workers are tired of promises and want the issue resolved. The mine's manager is not saying anything and the company's communications department is not responding to requests for comments. The workers are determined to keep striking until they get their money.

Renco Mine Workers Vow To Continue Strike Until Salaries Are Paid

Printflow workers across the country embarked on a strike on Thursday, protesting the non-payment of their September salaries and management’s failure to comply with a Supreme Court order issued in January 2024.
The order had directed the company to reinstate housing and transport allowances, which were unilaterally removed in August 2020.
The 189 workers, including 120 at the Harare headquarters, and those stationed at branches in Gweru, Mutare, Masvingo, and Bulawayo, have vowed to continue the strike until their demands are met.
Speaking to <a href="https://newziana.co.zw/printflow-workers-down-tools-over-salary-dispute/">New Ziana</a> on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, a worker at the head office said:
<blockquote>
We have received no communication from management regarding our concerns. The acting finance director Mr Manyonga, who is the works council chairperson, called the workers’ committee members in the morning.
At the same time, members from the National Employment Council (NEC) for the Printing Industry and Zimbabwe Graphic Workers Union (ZGWU) came and talked to staff, and they are now in a closed meeting with the CEO Mr David Takawira.
The workers’ committee members have been summoned into the meeting too.
</blockquote>
Printflow workers have reportedly gone without a salary increase since January 2023, despite a National Employment Council (NEC) directive issued in January last year, which mandated an 8% wage hike. Said the worker:
<blockquote>
Printflow applied for an exemption from this increase but even the agreed-upon four per cent was not implemented, with management citing the COVID-19 allowance workers received as the reason.
</blockquote>
Tensions reached a boiling point when the company abruptly scrapped the COVID-19 allowance in June, a vital supplement that had become a lifeline for many employees.
The combination of stagnant wages and the loss of this allowance has left workers struggling to make ends meet, as they face rising costs for essential expenses like medical care and school fees.
In a letter dated September 10, 2024, employees formally notified management of their intention to stage a sit-in protest starting September 30, unless their grievances were addressed.
The workers’ key demands include the reinstatement of housing and transport allowances, as well as the provision of personal protective equipment, which allegedly has not been supplied since 2021.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Printflow workers went on strike because they were not paid their September salaries and management did not follow the Supreme Court order from January 2024. The workers want their housing and transport allowances back, which were taken away in 2020. They are protesting at different locations across the country. The workers have not had a salary increase since January 2023, even though there was supposed to be an 8% raise. The company also took away their COVID-19 allowance, causing more financial stress. Workers are demanding their rights be respected and their grievances be addressed.

Printflow Workers Strike Over Unpaid Salaries

Telecel Zimbabwe employees have declared incapacitation saying the company’s management’s failure to find a solution to the challenges facing the firm has reduced them to destitutes.
Speaking on behalf of workers, Business, Communications and Allied Workers Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general David Mhambare said:
<blockquote>
We are worried as a union because workers have been reduced to destitutes as management has failed to find solutions to the challenges bedevilling the company.
Workers are resigning in numbers and most have resorted to resigning and signing six-month contracts so that they get terminal benefits and pensions from Zimnat.
</blockquote>
Mambare said the lowest-paid Telecel employee was getting ZWL$70 000 plus US$100 transport, which is paid weekly. He added:
<blockquote>
The salaries are not economic and are meaningless in light of the current hyperinflation environment.
</blockquote>
In a letter copied to the Allied Workers Union by a member of the workers’ committee, Telecel employees said they are financially incapacitated to continue reporting for work. The letter reads in part:
<blockquote>
This letter serves to advise that with effect from June 8, employees will not be able to report for duty as they have stated that they no longer have transport money and have fallen into serious arrears as there is no salary being paid.
They regret to advise that they have exhausted all avenues for borrowing money for transport and basic living expenses.
Staff are stating that, until remuneration issues have been resolved, they cannot afford to come to work.
Staff regrets to state the fact that, as much as they have been very loyal to the company, and continue to report for work religiously using borrowed funds, they are in a very deep financial crisis.
</blockquote>
In <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2022/06/23/telecel-zimbabwe-workers-declare-incapacitation/">June 2022, Telecel employees embarked on a strike</a> in protest over low salaries.
The workers claimed incapacitation and also complained about Telecel’s failure to remit their medical aid and funeral policy contributions despite deducting the money from them.
At the time, Mhambare claimed that most of the company’s workers’ salaries were below ZWL$35 000.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Telecel Zimbabwe Employees Declare Incapacitation

Public prosecutors across the country are planning to go on strike starting on 20 April to push their employer, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), to restore their 2018 salaries.
According to <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/prosecutors-demand-us900-salary-ahead-of-planned-strike-npa-threatens-dismissal/">NewZimbabwe.com</a>, the pay entry level for a junior prosecutor in 2018 was US$899.
Currently, junior prosecutors earn ZW$100 000, which is equivalent to US$100, plus an additional U$200 government allowance.
Prosecutors are accusing the NPA of neglecting the welfare of low-ranking staffers while senior law officers in the grade of chief or provincial public prosecutors have numerous benefits.
Chief or provincial public prosecutors reportedly earn in the range of ZWL$2 million and ZWL$3 million.
They get fuel coupons for their allocated double cab vehicles, Isuzus, Toyota Fortuners, or Ford Everest.
The Prosecutors’ Association of Zimbabwe (PAZ) notified their employer of their intention to strike in a letter dated 5 April 2023.
PAZ demanded that the NPA urgently address concerns or face a nationwide strike starting on 20 April. Wrote PAZ:
<blockquote>
This serves as formal notice to engage in collective job action in terms of section 104 of the Labour Act.
This is also based on a poll that has been endorsed by members who cast votes.
We also take cognisance of the fact that we do not fall under any of the exceptions which ban employees from engaging in collective job action.
We appreciate that the grounds for giving such notice must be matters of a dispute of interest as required by law.
</blockquote>
The issues prosecutors want to be addressed include salary review based on 2018 rates, payment of responsibility and retention allowances for public prosecutors who head stations, and promotions of deserving individuals. Said PAZ:
<blockquote>
Hence our position is that if the above issues are not attended to within 14 days as required by the law, public prosecutors will engage in collective job action on the 20th of April 2023.
</blockquote>
However, NPA Acting Secretary Tafadzwa Mupariwa, representing Acting Prosecutor-General Nelson Mutsonziwa, warned the prosecutors of unspecified action if the strike goes ahead. He said:
<blockquote>
The Authority notes that the notice is fatally defective at law and therefore a nullity. The PAZ has been advised.
In light of the defects in the notice for industrial action, be advised that any industrial action based on that defective notice is unlawful.
</blockquote>
Mupariwa said the NPA was working on improving the conditions of service and the general welfare of staffers. He said:
<blockquote>
These include the provision of station vehicles, whose pilot project has seen the distribution of 19 brand-new Isuzu single-cab vehicles.
The next stage is now the provision of vehicles and conditions of service for prosecutors in charge of stations.
This is a phased approach and we hope to equip all the stations progressively.
</blockquote>
The NPA said engagements with Treasury were ongoing with a view to a 100% salary increment effective 01 April 2023.
It said talks with local councils would see prosecutors allocated housing stands.
Sector-specific allowances were also being tabled for adoption, the NPA said.
In 2022, <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/some-prosecutors-losing-their-minds-due-to-drug-abuse/">the NPA said drug and alcohol abuse among public prosecutors was so rampant</a> that some were losing their minds.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Prosecutors Plan Nationwide Strike, Demand US$900 Salary

Zimbabwe’s health workers have condemned a new law that outlaws any industrial action, saying it will exacerbate the exodus of health professionals.
The Health Service Amendment Act which came into force on Tuesday prohibits health workers who are classified as an “essential” service from striking for more than three days.
The Act stipulates that those who do not comply face a fine or imprisonment of up to six months.
Enock Dongo, president of the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) said the new piece of legislation takes away health workers’ right to protest. He said:
<blockquote>
After the rejection of the bill by various stakeholders, they still went ahead to pass it. It is very unfortunate. The right to protest has been taken away.
… They tried to be clever, saying we are allowed to strike for three days, but we all know that even when we down tools for more days they do not want to negotiate.
</blockquote>
According to the Health Services Board (HSB), Zimbabwe has lost more than 4,000 doctors and nurses to the UK and other countries since 2021. Said Dongo:
<blockquote>
When you threaten health workers with jail, how do you expect them to discharge their duties?
This will affect every citizen, nurses will just adopt a ‘go-slow’ [approach to work].
</blockquote>
Norman Matara, the president of the Zimbabwe Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR) said:
<blockquote>
This law has taken us two steps backward. We have been trying to fight brain drain. 
Further frustration of health workers would lead to more people leaving. This bill will bring more negatives than positives.
This bill was widely rejected by all health professionals and even after the parliamentary consultations, this bill was rejected by the people.
To see the bill being drafted into law without amendments is quite sad.
</blockquote>
Government health workers have been demanding a living wage of US$540 a month but the government has said it cannot afford to meet their demands.
Nurses in Zimbabwe are paid less than US$100 a month excluding allowances. | <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/jan/12/health-workers-in-zimbabwe-dismayed-as-law-curbing-strikes-is-passed">The Guardian</a>

Health Workers In Zimbabwe Condemn Law Curbing Strikes

The recently signed Health Service Amendment Act will worsen the exodus of health workers and put more pressure on those who remain on their jobs, a health expert has said.
Speaking to <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200006007/fears-over-health-service-act-amendments">NewsDay</a> on Tuesday, Community Working Group on Health executive director Itai Rusike said:
<blockquote>
It is unfortunate that health workers are caught in the middle of a system that is slow to respond to their needs and ethical pressures not to take collective job action.
The unpopular Health Services Act will most likely exacerbate the exodus of health workers from the country thereby putting extra pressure on those who will remain on their jobs.
</blockquote>
Rusike urged the government to address the conditions of service for health workers to plug the brain drain.
Under the Act, government health workers cannot go on strike for more than 3 continuous days within a two-a-week period.
During a strike, they should continue to provide Emergency Services
The Act also says incitement to job action against set conditions can lead to criminal prosecution.

"Health Service Amendment Act Will Worsen Exodus Of Health Workers"

President Emmerson Mnangagwa last week signed into law the Health Services Amendment Bill which among other things, makes it illegal for government health workers to embark on industrial action lasting more than three days.
The Health Service Amendment Act stipulates that during job action, government health workers must continue to provide emergency services.
Under the Act, the old Health Services Board (HSB) was upgraded to a full commission, that is, the Health Services Commission (HSC) which set health workers’ conditions of service.
Health workers are now independent of the Public Services Commission (PSC), just like the judiciary, defence forces and police.
The restrictions on the health workers’ right to strike are contained in Section 16A of the new Act which says health services shall be deemed an essential service as defined in the Constitution. It reads:
<blockquote>
Notwithstanding anything in the Labour Act, the Health Service shall be deemed as an essential service referred to in section 65(3) of the Constitution.
No collective job action, whether lawful or unlawful, shall continue for an uninterrupted period of 72 hours or for more than 72 hours in any given 14-day period and notice of any collective job action must be given in writing 48 hours prior to the commencement of such collective job action.
</blockquote>
The Act says anyone inciting or organising collective job action in defiance of the new conditions can be tried for a criminal offence and if found guilty fined up to level four or jailed for six months.
Government workers are permitted to go on strike but during job action, they must provide the skill, expertise, care and service to patients in a medical emergency or needing critical or intensive care. | <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/prolonged-health-workers-strikes-now-illegal/">The Herald</a>

Govt Outlaws Prolonged Strikes By Health Workers

Grain Marketing Board (GMB) workers have given the parastatal’s management a 14-day ultimatum to review their salaries which they say are no longer enough to cater to their basic needs.
According to a notice addressed to the parastatal’s management dated 16 November 2022 and signed by GMB and Silo Food Industries Worker’s Union secretary-general David Chigogo, the lowest-paid worker is earning less than ZWL$30 000 per month. Reads the notice:
<blockquote>
The employers have disregarded the prevailing economic environment in which most goods and services are pegged in US dollars.
This has severely eroded the buying power of employees’ salaries as evidenced by the lowest-paid employee earning a basic salary of $29 111.
To make matters worse, there is no USD component to compensate for the meagre salary.
This salary has been stagnant since April 2022. How do employers expect employees to survive?
</blockquote>
The workers also claimed that they are being made to work during weekends to distribute farming inputs under Pfumvudza and the Presidential Input Scheme. They said:
<blockquote>
Employees even come to work on Sundays in order to fulfil inputs distribution targets but their plea for salary review (or) payment of overtime in full and USD component has not been heard.
The management has kept on procrastinating salary reviews hiding behind their principal citing no funding but employees are saying enough is enough.
If the employers are failing to value the services of employees, we are saying it is time to put tools down.
Other parastatals have been awarded salary increments by the same principal.
</blockquote>
| <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200003882/gmb-workers-threaten-job-action-over-us30-salary">NewsDay</a>

GMB Workers Threaten Job Action Over Salaries

ZESA workers falling under their unions, The Zimbabwe Energy Workers Union (ZEWU), The National Energy Workers Union of Zimbabwe (NEWUZ), have given notice of their intention to strike.
The notice reads:
<blockquote>LABOUR ACT (CHAPTER 28:01) 
In the matter between
ZIMBABWE ENERGY WORKERS UNION (ZEWU)  – TRADE UNION
AND
NATIONAL ENERGY WORKERS UNION OF ZIMBABWE  (NEWUZ) – TRADE UNION
AND
ZIMBABWE ENERGY INDUSTRY EMPLOYER’S ASSOCIATION (ZEIEA) – EMPLOYERS
NOTICE OF IN TO RESORT TO COLLECTIVE JOB ACTION
Be pleased to take notice that the ZIMBABWE ENERGY WORKERS UNION and NATIONAL ENERGY WORKERS UNION OF ZIMBABWE hereby give notice of intention to resort to collective job action, In terms of Section 104 (4)(b) of the Labour Act (Chapter 28:01), in defense of an immediate threat to the existence of a registered Trade Union.
The grounds for the intended action are as follows:
I. the Trade unions, ZEWU &amp; NEWUZ and the Zimbabwe Energy Industry Employers’ Association (ZIMEA) met as the General Council, under the auspices of the National Employment Council for the Energy Industry (NEC) 9-10 April 2019 and made a resolution to the effect that the collective bargaining committee should convene and start negotiations for 2018 and 2019 by 31 May 2019.
2. Since then, the employers association is not willing to come to the table for negotiations
3. On 12 June 2019, the NEC called for a principals meeting with the objective of setting out ground rules for the collective bargaining negotiations and the employers’ association refused to commit to a reasonable date for the commencernent of the process.
4. This is despite the fact that they were fully aware of the meeting and could not seek the mandate from their principals well before so that they could come for the meeting with a position, given that all parties are aware that collective bargaining is conducted yearly.
5. Despite the urgent need to respond to the challenges facing workers, the employers chose to delay negotiations by refusing to conduct collective bargaining negotiations on the 17th June 2019 as proposed by Trade Unions but the 24th of June 2019, citing reasons which are manifestly invalid, a move that is clearly calculated to destroy the Unions given the mounting pressure from trade union members for an urgent adjustment on the June payroll.
6. In doing so, they are not taking into consideration the current economic situation and the urgent need for conclusion of the negotiations bearing in mind that we are already in midyear. They are also not considering that workers salaries have been eroded more than eight times due to the economic meltdown and that they no longer earn a living wage, nor can they afford travel to and from work with the current earnings.
7. The employers are aware that Trade Unon members expect the Trade Unions to respond with urgency where their standard of living is severely eroded, as in the current scenario yet they refuse or neglect to take the collective bargaining process seriously to the detriment of Trade Unions. Therefore Trade Unions have no option but to give notice as they hereby do, in defense of their existence.
DATED AT HARARE THIS 13″ DAY OF JUNE 2019
M CHIKUNI 
General Secretary Zimbabwe Energy Workers Union (ZEWU) 
6th Floor, Construction House 110 Leopold Takawira Street 
Harare
T MASVINGWE 
Secretary General National Energy Workers Union of Zimbabwe 
No 1 Kwame Nkrurnah Avenue 
HARARE
TO: ZIMBABWE ENERGY INDUSTRY EMPLOYERS ASSOCIATION 
Electricity Centre 
25 Samora Mach&amp; Avenue 
HARARE.
AND TO: THE GENERAL SECRETARY 
NEC for the Zimbabwe Energy Industry 
48 Edmunds Avenue Belvedere 
HARARE
<a href="https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ZESA-Workers-Strike.jpg"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-103060" decoding="async" height="963" loading="lazy" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" src="https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ZESA-Workers-Strike-744x1024.jpg" srcset="https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ZESA-Workers-Strike.jpg 744w, https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ZESA-Workers-Strike-218x300.jpg 218w, https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ZESA-Workers-Strike-600x826.jpg 600w" width="700"/></a></blockquote>

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