THE embattled National Constitutional Assembly (NCA) is today expected to negotiate a payment plan with its 17 ex-employees who are owed a combined $117 000 in salary and gratuity arrears.
Paidamoyo Muzulu
The two parties are set to meet at the Ministry of Labour offices.
The workers took the Lovemore Madhuku-led NCA to Ministry of Labour for conciliation after the former civil society organisation which has now transformed into a fully-fledged political party failed to honour its promise to settle the arrears since early 2013 when the workers were laid off.
Earlier this year, the organisation had some of its vehicles attached and auctioned to settle some of its salary arrears. NCA spokesman Madock Chivasa on Tuesday acknowledged the organisation’s indebtedness to the employees and promised to present a payment plan at today’s hearing.
“We acknowledged that we owed the ex-employees that amount and proposed to pay them in instalments starting end of next month for the next one-and-a- half years or till the debt has been fully paid,” Chivasa said.
He said that the party’s financial woes were triggered by the abrupt withdrawal of donor funding since 2008.
“We agreed to these payouts on the basis of the donor agreements that we had signed which would have allowed us to settle these debts. However, the funds did not come through,” he added.
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The employees’ lawyer Edmore Guri said his clients would make a decision after the payment plan had been tabled on what their next course of action would be.
“After the presentation of the plan by NCA, the employees can accept the payment plan or take the matter for arbitration,” Guri said.
The NCA has lost most of its properties to settle debts in the past and its only significant asset is the building which houses its headquarters in the capital.
Chivasa said they would look at means of settling their debt without selling their headquarters.
