By Staff Reporter
MASVINGO – Regency Group of Hotels management is failing to pay its workers with some going for more than four months without salaries.
Regency Hotels runs Flamboyant, Chevron and Panyanda in Masvingo as well as Fairmile Hotel in Gweru.
Contacted for comment, Regency Hotels Managing Director Edison Zvobgo Junior who is also Masvingo Central MP could neither confirm nor deny as he said there were some challenges which had since been resolved.
“I have no comment on that matter but what I can simply say is that there were some temporary challenges that have since been addressed,” said Zvobgo.
Sources within the organisation said the salary issue had been taken to the National Employment Council (NEC) and the Zimbabwe Catering and Hotel Workers Union (ZCHWU). The hotel management was said to have tried but in vain to persuade workers to withdraw the matter.
ZCHWU regional organizing secretary Elliot Madzore confirmed that his organisation was dealing with the matter but referred questions to his superiors.
“Yes we are dealing with the matter but I cannot give you more details as I am not allowed to speak to the media, you should talk to my superiors for a detailed comment,” said Madzore.
However, sources said ZCHWU had since given Regency an ultimatum to clear all the salary arrears before they take up the matter.
“They are paying workers in batches and so far they have only paid 10 people for the month of March and they only paid the ZIG component and the rest are yet to get their salaries. However, they were given seven days to clear the arrears and if they fail the matter will be taken up to labor court.
“The matter was taken to NEC and we have had several meetings with the management which is trying to persuade the workers to withdraw the cases and pursue internal processes. The workers are irked by the fact that the management is not showing any remorse, rather they are boastful, arrogant and too reluctant to address the salary arrear issues,” said one of the employees who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Another source said there was serious mismanagement of the organisation which is witnessed by the deterioration of services and infrastructure which is in dilapidating state.
“Standards are getting down every day at all the hotels, there is no maintenance of infrastructure, and there are very old beds and linen, the workers have no motivation so the services are also getting lower,” said another source.
Flamboyant Hotel used to be one of the best in Masvingo town but the standards continue to deteriorate and is left at the mercy of those clients who want to book there or Chevron because of its proximity to town.
