Chinhoyi Municipality has reportedly doled out 330 high-density residential stands to its junior employees to offset long-standing salary arrears the local authority owes them.
Workers’ committee chairperson Stewart Kapfudza confirmed the deal yesterday, adding they had been allocated pieces of land at an open space adjacent to Rujeko suburb.
He said most of the workers were owed around $1 800, with some arrears dating back to 2009.
“Council finally honoured its side of the bargain and allocated stands to most workers last week while those who opted for cash were paid, save for a remaining few who are still to get either stands or cash,” Kapfudza told NewsDay.
The latest development came about after workers had threatened industrial action. The local authority was supposed to have fulfilled its pledge to pay the outstanding 2009 salaries before the March 31 2012 deadline as outlined in the Labour Court ruling, but had asked the employees not to down tools, promising to make good its promise.
Council in January this year pledged to give cash payouts or alternatively housing stands citing a liquidity crunch. The decision was reached after the employees’ representatives and council agreed to take the matter for conciliation at the Labour Court. Meanwhile, the 2012 collective bargaining exercise has stalled after management announced an indefinite salary freeze, a move Kapfudza described as “insincerity”.
