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'Sleeping in' by Kingtons workers finally pays off
The Standard (Zimbabwe)
January 20, 2008

http://www.thezimbabwestandard.com/viewinfo.cfm?linkid=11&id=8189&siteid=1

Representatives of Kingstons Limited staff who staged a "sleep-in" on the booksellers' premises last year have been victimised by management, the workers have alleged.

The workers, recently awarded a 300 percent salary increment after the sleep-in, said their representatives were being victimised by management for leading the unusual industrial action.

Monica Makumbe and Tendai Tigere are facing disciplinary action while workers' chairman, Wilfred Nyamukuwa, was exonerated of wrongdoing at a hearing held last Friday.

Nyamukuwa was accused of disclosing "confidential" company salary matters to The Standard and failing to carry out his superiors' instructions.

But the hearing, attended by the Commercial Workers' Union of Zimbabwe (CWUZ) and Kingstons management, concluded that Nyamukuwa had not committed any offence as he was the chairperson of workers' committee.

The workers slept at the company's premises for three weeks because they could not afford to commute to work on their salaries and allowances.

Following the pay hikes, the least paid worker now earns $34 million a month, up from about $10 million. Last week, the workers said the salaries were still too low.

"We cannot survive on this and apart from that they refused to review our transport allowances upwards," said one worker.

Kingstons Limited general manager, Dunmore Mazonde could not be reached for comment.

Kingstons is a quasi-government company involved in the selling of stationery, books and music.

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