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Fired SMM workers fight back

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About 110 Shabani-Mashava Mine (SMM) former employees sacked in 2009 for allegedly organising a strike are still battling to be reinstated. Jojo Machanja, organising secretary of the Associated Mine Workers’ Union of Zimbabwe, told NewsDay they had taken the matter to the Labour Court in Gweru. The case, registered as LC/MD/44/09, has not been set […]

About 110 Shabani-Mashava Mine (SMM) former employees sacked in 2009 for allegedly organising a strike are still battling to be reinstated.

Jojo Machanja, organising secretary of the Associated Mine Workers’ Union of Zimbabwe, told NewsDay they had taken the matter to the Labour Court in Gweru.

The case, registered as LC/MD/44/09, has not been set down for hearing.Machanja said the Labour Court sat on September 7 to set up a trial date, but the employer, represented by Wisley Sibanda, sought postponement of the matter.

He said since then, efforts to reconvene had been frustrated by Sibanda who kept changing goalposts.

“He wants to engage me into delaying tactics instead of (sic) sticking to the judge’s order,” Machanja said in a letter submitted to the Labour Court in October.

“In my submission to this court I kindly request the Labour Court to set the date of the court (sic).”

The majority of the affected former employees have become destitute. They are seeking an order compelling SMM to pay all outstanding salaries from January to September 2009.

“Before we were fired we were forced to engage in a strike over unpaid wages. SMM must pay us that money,” said Temhinasi Ndhlela, chairman of the fired workers’ union executive.

He said they had also approached Finance minister Tendai Biti, who requested that they prepare a dossier detailing activities at SMM from the time they were fired.