THE National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) workers say they are in a panic mode following reports that 2 000 jobs were on the line, with the victims likely to go home without terminal benefits.
BY SILAS NKALA
The planned job cuts were expected to have taken effect starting March 31, following a similar move in 2015, where NRZ offloaded over 400 of its workforce without terminal benefits after taking advantage of a July 17 Supreme Court ruling.
The ruling gave employers the green light to terminate workers’ contracts on three-month pay notices only.
Concerned workers told Southern Eye they have pleaded with their employer to reconsider the move, as that would further impoverish them. “We are being told that the parastatal wants to retrench over 2 000 of its workforce with effect from March 31. This is a very sad scenario,” a concerned worker said.
“We are told people will be sent home without packages, especially those who have not yet reached pensionable age. They will go with only their pay notices.”
The employee added: “As we speak, many people are no longer working. They go to work and sit. They are waiting for those letters to come and are saying why should they work in order to be dumped at will like what is being planned.”
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But NRZ spokesperson Nyasha Maravanyika urged workers to remain calm, as the matter was still at board level.
“That issue is being handled at board level, so it’s at policy level. We understand the board is seized with that kind of discussion and no worker has been told that he or she will lose his or her job,” Maravanyika said.
“We would want to say that NRZ has not told anyone that he or she will be retrenched. It is unfortunate that such a rumour could have demotivated workers, but we are saying they must not fear anything.”
