Bikita Magistrate court construction workers have gone on strike after getting a paltry $40 each.
This is all for their work in building the court building which is now nearing completion.
The workers who are employed by Masimba Construction Company which was given a tender by government to build the magistrates court, are demanding that their employer must give them proper salaries.
One of the workers, who requested anonymity because he is not allowed to speak to the media, told ZimEye.com Tuesday, that they only got $40 for the two months they have worked.
“I got employed on 11th April as a general hand, and after working for 15 days we were given $16.31,” he said.
“We complained about the issue and we were promised that they were going to use the rates which were gazetted by government for the construction industry and we were going to get the stipulated fee salaries on 27 May, but this did not happen as they apologised to us saying that they could not make it because of the current cash shortages which the country is experiencing”.
“But what surprised us  was that  last Friday, all general hands and builders were paid $30 and $40 respectively and the promised government gazetted construction rates were never factored in,” said the angry worker.
They also said that they were working without employment contracts.
“Two months have already gone now but we have not yet signed any employment contract and the Magistrates court is now near completion,” the worker clamoured.
Efforts to obtain a comment from the company with fruitless at the time of writing.