The Labour Court has ordered Chitungwiza Municipality to shell out $1 095 115 in outstanding allowances to 110 employees. BY ALOIS VINGA
Arbitrator Susan Changara made the ruling after the local authority withdrew the allowances between February and July 2012 citing cashflow problems.
The allowances were only reinstated in August 2012, but the workers took the matter for arbitration after their employer remained silent over the outstanding allowances.
On September 26 last year, Changara presided over the case where she ordered the municipality to pay the outstanding allowances.
On October 27, Chitungwiza Municipality appealed against the arbitral award and the application for appeal was filed on December 4 2014.
In its submissions, the municipality argued that the amount awarded was exorbitant and contravened public policy on salary payments.
But the workers noted that the council had not raised issues over the figures claimed and pleaded with the court to dismiss the application for lack of merit.
In turn, Labour Court judge Justice Euna Makamure ruled in favour of the employees. The employees were represented by Donsa Nkomo Legal Practitioners.
