AT least 453 workers laid off by the National Blankets following its placement under judicial management two years ago yesterday said they were now languishing in poverty as they have not yet received their terminal benefits.
BY OUR STAFF REPORTER Their representative — the Zimbabwe Textile Workers Union (ZTWU), said the 453 employees were affected by the job cuts and five of them have reportedly died.
In a statement yesterday ZTWU said: “The company was placed under judicial management on October 20 2010 and up to date no single cent has been paid. Amongst the 453 workers, 265 are retrenched workers whose retrenchment came after a decision by the retrenchment board in August 2011.
“Children have left school, cannot afford medication, lodgers were forced to relocate to their rural areas, landlords are suffering water and Zesa cuts by the authorities and hunger has been the order of the day.”
The union added: “The matter is pending at the High Court since last year. Workers have been granted leave to execute in order to get their money legally and procedurally but unfortunately, the leave was mysteriously set aside under very unclear reasons and circumstances. It has become hard for workers to get their matter resolved in the court.”
The ZTWU appealed for a quick resolution of the matter to enable the affected workers to get their severance packages.
“Workers are appealing to whoever is handling the matter to make sure that justice prevails. ZTWU, as the union representing the workers in the textile industry is very much concerned with this development.
“How on earth are these poor workers expected to survive? Justice delayed is justice denied,” the union said.
