The National Employment Council (NEC) for the Construction Industry has threatened to take legal action against 53 construction firms for allegedly failing to remit their employees’ pension contributions to the relevant authorities.
Zimbabwe Construction and Allied Trades Workers’ Union secretary-general Nicholas Mazarura told NewsDay that some of the companies last remitted pension contributions in 2009 and the figure has ballooned to $2,3 million.
“As a union which represents the entire sector as a labour movement, it has come to our attention that most of our employers are not remitting the funds to the authoritative body,” Mazarura said. “We have handed the list to the lawyers. I am urging all workers in the construction industry to be vigilant because these monies have not been brought forward.”
He said the union negotiated pension funds for every worker in the construction industry in 1983 so that workers would get retirement packages from their 5% monthly contributions.
However, some of the companies said to be in arrears yesterday denied the charges and accused the NEC of keeping inaccurate records. One of the firms, Creative Systems, denied that it owed $76 000 in unremitted workers’ pension contributions and challenged the NEC to put its records in order.
Nyati Builders director Denis Parirenyatwa also denied the alleged non-remission when contacted for comment.
