Accomodation (0) Advertising Agencies (0) Agriculture (0) Arts and Crafts (1) Automotive (0) Boats and Marine (0) Books (0) Building and Construction (0) Business Services (0) Car Hire (0) Children (0) Clothing and Fashion (0) Computers and Internet (0) Education and Training (0) Employment and Personal (0) Entertainment (0) Finance and Insurance (0) Functions and Weddings (0) Funeral Arrangments (0) Furniture and Hardware (0) Government (0) Industrial and Manufacturing (1) Marketing & Public Relations (0) Media (0) Medical, Health and Beauty (0) Non-Profit Organisations (0) Photographers (0) Printers (0) Real Estate (0) Restaurants (0) Security (0) Shopping (0) Sports (0) Telecommunications (0) Transport (0) Travel and Tourism (0)

Mine workers, employers on collision course

Staff Reporter 19-05-2009

Workers are unhappy that the employers decided to cut minimum wages to US$80 without consulting them at a time when they were negotiating.

“The Associated Mine Workers of Zimbabwe locked horns with the Chamber of Mines to negotiate wages and salaries for the second quarter of 2009. The Chamber of Mines sprung a surprise by tabling officially that they want to reduce the current minimum wages of US$100 per month to US$80, this infuriated the union which told the Chamber of Mines that it is going to consult the workers in the industry in order to get guidance on the way forward in the negotiations. The union demanded a US$450 which is the poverty datum line and stated that it is flexible in its demands,” said the president of the union Mr T Ruzive.

He added that the collective bargaining agreement for the mining industry stated that there should be non reduction of conditions. This states that no employee in employment should suffer any reduction in wages or salary or conditions of service. On the other hand employers are arguing that they wanted to keep their business on course and they wanted to reduce the operating costs which unfortunately may include wages and salaries. This is not to say that they were abandoning the workers but wanted to at least kick start the industry and then there would be a trickle down effect on benefits if they started producing at full level.

While the workers sounded militant, players in the industry said there was room for negotiations as the union had even stated that they had left their options open.

It is hoped that there is a quick fix to the problems which are threatening the once vibrant mining sector as it is one of the pillars that the economic revival would be built.

Apart from the issues of labour, the industry is also suffering from a massive skills shortage which may be a denting effects if they are not fully addressed before the anticipated take off.

There is also a shortage of capital to restart some of the projects which were running before the economic problems worsened.

Some smaller players in the industry are finding it difficult raise the necessary cash to reopen some of the mines which were shut down in the last two years.