KADOMA — 19 workers’ union leaders who were fired from Falcon Gold-owned Dalny Mine after being accused of masterminding a crippling strike in January have taken the matter to the Labour Court contesting their dismissal.
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The 19 were part of the 21 labour union leaders summarily dismissed early this year for allegedly spearheading an industrial action that saw business ground to a halt for 12 days at Dalny Mine, Chakari, Kadoma.
Two of them were reinstated under unclear circumstances in a move described by the appellants as a “divide and rule” tactic.
National Mine Workers’ Union of Zimbabwe (NMWUZ) president Shadreck Pelewelo yesterday confirmed the development, adding the matter would be brought before the arbitrator sometime this week.
“The employer is deliberately trampling upon workers’ rights so that they don’t pay what is due to them. This bullying has no place in modern democracy,” said Pelewelo.
In submissions seen by NewsDay, NMWUZ accused Falcon Gold Dalny Mine of unfairly treating workers and threatening the existence of a registered trade union, thereby contradicting the Labour Act.
“After the strike in January, the respondent charged and dismissed the entire branch of the union. In dismissing the union branch, the code of conduct was not adhered to.
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“Despite the fact that the dismissal case has not been finalised at NEC (National Employment Council), the respondent has already issued eviction letters to the dismissed employees,” the submissions read.
Dalny Mine management claimed that the industrial action cost the company $940 275 in lost business.
