THE 52 Mutare City Council nurses, who had been on strike since last month demanding payment of their outstanding salaries for the past 19 months, have started reporting for duty after the Labour Court ruled that their industrial action was illegal.
BY KENNETH NYANGANI
Acting town clerk Donald Nyatoti told NewsDay last Thursday that the nurses were back at work.
“They returned to work this week (last week) after the Labour Court ruled that their strike was illegal,” he said.
Council sources said city fathers had reprimanded the nurses and let them resume duties instead of firing them.
“We just felt that we could not fire them. Some of the nurses have worked for us for many years, so we can’t just fire them like that,” a councillor, who declined to be named, said.
“The nurses have a genuine cause to strike, but the situation was getting worse. We are hoping to address the situation.”
Nurses who spoke to this publication on condition of anonymity said council management had promised to fast-track payment of their salaries.
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“We are hopeful that the council is going to fulfil its pledge because we need to pay rentals and buy food, among other things,” one of the disgruntled nurses added.
Beside nurses, all other council workers have also gone for several months without getting their salaries.
