Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) employees have reportedly gone for two months without pay and are demanding wages pegged to United States Dollars.
Employees who spoke to CITE anonymously fearing victimisation said they are owed March and April salaries.
“ZINWA workers are unpaid for two months for the months of March and April. The management is even refusing to have a meeting with us. The first quarter negotiations were also stubbornly not made possible by management. The workers are agitated and as well cannot afford to go to work since the salaries achieved are not able to meet the cost of transport, food and other living expenses,” they said.
“The lowest paid is getting ZWL$160 000 and it ranges up to ZWL$300 000, when you convert it to USD it’s only US$120 a month, how can a family of four survive with such kind of amount. This affects many departments from the accounts department, workshop department and the water supply department and technical officers also.”
Sources said the Zimbabwe Water Trade Union (ZIWATU) has tried to engage the management on the issue.
The employees added that the authority is failing to provide protective clothing for the employees working in danger zones.
“We have not received any safety clothing since last year, no work suits, no safety shoes. Safety clothing should be made available since workers in safety precautionary zones are in a health and safety grave danger,” said the employees.
Responding to questions sent via email on Thursday, ZINWA Corporate Communications and Marketing Manager, Marjorie Munyonga said the employees have been paid their salaries in full including April salaries.
“The Authority values its employees as the most important resource and strives to ensure that they are rewarded with competitive salaries which the organisation can pay and sustain. Salaries for all ZINWA employees are up to date including April salaries,” she said.
“Salaries are by nature and law confidential, the figure of ZWL 160 000 being the salary for the lowest paid ZINWA employee is, however, incorrect.”
Munyonga said ZINWA employees are indeed represented by ZIWATU and engagements with employees are constantly held at different levels, including Catchment Works Councils and National Employment Council (NEC).
“ZINWA senior management has always maintained a known open-door policy through which other engagements are also held with employee representatives,” she said.
In addition, she said the Authority has in place an Occupational Safety, Health and Employee
Wellness (OSHE) section responsible for among other things provision of protective clothing.
“This is in addition to safety committees at Catchments. It has always been the Authority’s policy and practice that employees receive protective clothing on an annual basis,” said Munyonga.
