GWERU — Zimbabwe’s leading ferro-chrome smelter, ZimAlloys, is reportedly operating at 8% capacity with only 280 workers left to run the firm, NewsDay has learnt.
Stephen Chadenga/Ivan Ndlovu
An industrial assessment report released by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) yesterday revealed that several other leading manufacturers in Midlands province were also teetering on the brink of collapse.
According to the report presented by ZCTU central region chairperson Martin Tazvivinga, Bata Shoe Company had scaled down its workforce from a peak of 5 000 to 1 000 employees due to the poor performance of the economy.
“In Gweru big companies like ZimGlass, ZimCast, David Whitehead, Radar Castings, Kariba Batteries and other small companies have totally closed shop,” the report notes.
“According to information made available to our office, ZimAlloys is operating at 8% capacity utilisation.
“It used to employ over 2 000, but only 280 employees are left with the 500 workers retrenched in 2010 still to get their full packages.”
The report said companies like Zimasco, Dairibord and Anchor Yeast had already announced plans to downsize in order to remain afloat. “Zimasco retrenched 400 last year and intends to retrench another 400 again soon.
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Anchor Yeast intends to retrench employees in the security department while Dairibord also plans to lay off employees. “Dairibord is going to cease production on or before March 2015 and only the sales department will remain functional.”
The report further noted that though the commercial sector in the region was growing, there was concern over the working conditions of employees.
”There are several cases of non-payment and/or underpayment of wages and salaries and victimisation of worker leadership and notable, among these are Pote in Zvishavane, Metro Peech, DCK and City Bakery.”
The report also noted that the labour courts in Gweru were clogged with disputes relating to underpayment and non-payment by Chinese-owned companies.
