Rtd Mojor Faster Gono addresses workers after the new wage structure was agreed
…sugar producer agrees to pay backdate over $7 million in backdated wages
Beatific Gumbwanda
CHIREDZI – Tongaat Hullet Zimbabwe (THZ) has finally agreed on wage increment for Band A and B employees going as far back as April 1, 2017 and has set out a three-month period to pay the US$7.5 million owed to employees, TellZim News has learnt.
Zimbabwe Sugar Milling Industry Workers Union (ZSMIWU) last weekend announced to its members from Triangle and Hippo Valley estates that Tongaat Hulett had agreed to increase wages as per an arbitration ruling made in workers’ favour of October 18, 2017.
The ruling was made by Justice George Smith and later upheld by Justice Owen Tagu of the High Court of Zimbabwe.
ZSMIWU secretary general, Rtd Major Faster Gono said the sugar company had agreed on a new wage structure of 15 percent increment for Band A employees and 7.5 percent for Band B employees as awarded by Justice Smith.
“Our war is over now! They have agreed on a wage increase as awarded by Justice George Smith last year. The backdated wages will be payable over a period of three months,” said Gono.
The National Employment Council (NEC) for the Sugar Milling Industry notified that the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Services had since published the Collective Bargaining Agreement.
“It is hereby notified that the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Services has, in terms of section 80 of the Labour Act [Chapter 28:01], published the Collective Bargaining Agreement set out in the Schedule, which has been registered in terms of section 79 of the Labour Act [Chapter 28:01].”
For the Band A1 employees now earn US$207.00 and each worker is owed US$324.00, those in A2 now earn US$227.68 with each employee owed US$356.4. Workers in the A3 category now earn $250.44 with each owed US$392.04.
The Band B new wage structures stand as follows: B1 – US$292.57 owed US$244.92, B2 – US$321.96 owed US$269.52, B3 – US$354.12 owed US$296.52, B4 – $442.73 owed US$370.68 and B5 – US$486.84 owed $407.64.business
