via ZCTU warns Meikles over retrenchments – New Zimbabwe 01/04/2015
THE Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has warned Meikles Africa against firing workers without following due process saying the country’s largest labour body will not take the matter lying low.
Secretary-General Japhet Moyo said the Stock Exchange listed company was breaching labour laws in the manner in which it was retrenching its workers.
Moyo told Newzimbabwe.com that Meikles workers were not being given time to negotiate their exit packages.
“As ZCTU, we are concerned with the on-going termination of contracts of employments by Meikles who have shown 153 workers the exit door without any prior engagement with the concerned employees,” Moyo said.
“ZCTU will not stand and watch while the future of workers and their social stability are being thrown into the dustbin. This is wrong and illegal”.
Meikles Departmental Stores last week Friday served 22 workers at its Mutare branch with letters of termination of work without offering retrenchment packages.
The group aims to retrench more than 100 workers across the country.
But the ZCTU said it has approached the courts on behalf of the affected workers.
“If left unchecked, thousands of workers will find themselves in the streets. The ZCTU is concerned with the ripple effects of these ambush terminations,” Moyo said.
The union said it was saddened by the rise in job losses occurring throughout the country and asked government to act promptly.
The ZCTU has said its members will be demonstrating on April 11protesting against the economic meltdown and job losses.
Moyo said the protests will be meant to push government to act on the promises made by the ruling Zanu PF party during the election campaign two years ago.
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