National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) employees are reportedly living in fear for their lives amid allegations management is using soldiers to intimidate them every time they raise the issue of the crisis at the parastatal.
The reports come as NRZ workers complained over a three-month salary backlog.
Workers in the parastatal’s engineering department were reportedly intimidated by an army officer who was called by management during a meeting at the workshop on January 10.
The Railway Artisans’ Union (RAU) wrote a letter dated January 25, 2012 to the NRZ human resources manager citing intimidation of employees at the workplace.
The letter signed by the union’s acting secretary-general, one F Dambudzo, states the workers were threatened by a military man who was called into their meeting by management to discuss the salary crisis and poor working conditions.
“A peaceful meeting between our members and the vehicle maintenance manager at the workshop on January 10, 2012 turned into a military briefing by one Chimanga who purports to be the supervisor of all ZDF (Zimbabwe Defence Forces) staff,” reads part of the letter.
“He threatened to pick all branch officials at night, stuff them into car boots and make them disappear.”
The union demanded an open, thorough investigation of the alleged threats saying the survival of the union was at stake.
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Responding to RAU’s letter, NRZ human resources manager, one Gilbert Ndlovu, in a letter dated March 7 this year conceded relations between RAU and the vehicle maintenance manager were not cordial.
“I have insisted to manager, vehicle maintenance, in his capacity as a line manager of both parties to immediately ensure the restoration of a working environment that is conducive to productivity and the wellness of all involved,” wrote Ndlovu.
