Grain Marketing Board (GMB) former workers have rejected the offer by the parastatal to settle salary arrears in 12 months vowing to continue camping outside the parastatal’s offices until their demands have been met.
TARISAI MANDIZHA
The former workers have been camped at GMB offices for the past two weeks demanding payment of their salary arrears which total $4,7 million.
GMB acting general manager Lawrence Jasi said on Tuesday the grain parastatal was committed to paying the former workers $310 per month until the arrears have been cleared. He said GMB has been paying $300 per month since retrenching the workers in August and increased the payment to $310 per month in January.
But the former workers rejected the offer saying they would only leave if they were paid in full.
“We will only leave if they meet our demands,” workers’ union committee member Tommy Mwanza said yesterday.
He said the union had not held any meeting with management and GMB has not been paying former workers monthly.
“GMB has not been paying us since October, we only got a payment of $150 in December and $310 in January and $310 last week. We only got these meagre payments after we camped at the head office,” Mwanza said.
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Jasi said on Tuesday the grain parastatal was committed to paying all salary arrears within a year.
He said, basing on the payment of $310 per month, the total monthly budget for all former employees was $385 330.
Jasi said it was estimated that 40% of the employees would have been paid off within the next nine months and remainder within 12 months.
“The board is sensitive to the suffering of its former workers and is doing everything in its power and means to alleviate their plight. A significant part of their grievances has been addressed using the limited resources available to the GMB and there is commitment on the part of the board to fully pay off salary arrears within the next nine to 12 months,” he said.
Jasi said management has continued to engage former workers through their representatives to hear their concerns with several meetings held on February 9, February 15 and February 17.
He said management had informed the workers that the organisation had no capacity to pay the outstanding salaries at once, but was making frantic efforts to raise funds to make part payment of $310 per month.
“On February 15, 2016 board chairman and the vice-chairman engaged former workers’ representatives and reiterated management’s position on financial challenges being faced by the organisation and updated them on the board’s progress in mobilising funds for settlement their salary arrears,” he said.
Jasi said in light of the commitment to clear salary arrears, “the continued stay of the former workers outside the parastatal’s head office is now a cause for concern, principally on account of potential health-related issues associated mainly with their continued camping on the premises under unhygienic conditions”.
He said GMB has also experienced loss of revenue and reputational risk.
“The settlement arrears to the former workers remains a top priority of the GMB,” he said.
