The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has told off the Norton Based Chinese tile manufacturing company, Sunny Yi Feng Tiles (Zimbabwe) Pvt Ltd, to stop covering up its mistreatment and instead respect workers rights to warrant the respect of the labour body.
In a statement responding to accusations by the company that ZCTU was bullying it following exposes of workers’ rights abuses, ZCTU Secretary General Japhet Moyo said; “Instead of working on improving the situation at the company, the company went on to accuse the ZCTU of “bullying” and relying on so-called unreliable sources. It seems the company is more interested in protecting its ‘brand’ than the welfare of workers.”
The ZCTU exposed that workers at the company uses a system where it uses forklifts to carry workers who would have collapsed out of the factory, that workers are being paid $3 500 which is equivalent to around US$35-00 per month and that 16 employees shared a single room offered as company accommodation.
The company was incensed by the expositions and in a statement accused the ZCTU of damaging its reputation.
“The publications carry single stories from uninformed sources who, rather than being constructive, are more destructive to the image of the company. From the onset, the reports have been influenced by actions of conspiracy as a result of revenge distortion,” Alex Mukumba the company’s public relations officer said.
In response the ZCTU said; “The ZCTU together with its affiliate union visited the company following complaints from employees that a number of their counterparts have been injured, some killed, and women sometimes collapsed because of exposure to gas leaks. They also complained of workplace Gender based violence and violation of national legislation and International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 190 that deals with Violence and Harassment in the world of work. Workers also complained that their rights were constantly violated as most of them are paid less than the stipulated minimum wages/salaries. The workers said they remain under paid even after the National Employment Council ( NEC)’s ruling that they be paid according to stipulated minimum wages prescribed in the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).”
-The Worker