OVER 17 former Bata Shoe Company employees retrenched two years ago on three months’ notice have vowed to block their employer’s bid to kick them out of the firm’s houses in Gweru until they have been paid their dues in full.
By Stephen Chadenga
Bata recently gave the employees until December 11 to vacate the company property, but the affected workers, through their lawyers, Mawadze and Mujaya, said they would only move out after their pending court cases on terminal benefits have been finalised.
Part of the eviction letter signed by human resources manager Nora Zhanda read:“This letter serves to inform you that the company is giving you three months’ notice with effect from September 12, 2017 to vacate company accommodation.
“Therefore, your last day of occupancy shall be December 11, 2017. As you are already aware, your notice and terminal benefits have been accordingly paid out in full when your contract was terminated on notice. What remains with the law courts is to determine whether you are entitled to compensation for loss of employment and if so, how much.”
The company said the former employees should vacate the premises since they had stopped paying rentals.
But the workers have dug in.
“It is our considered and well-founded legal position that as long as there are outstanding legal issues to do with our clients’ contracts of employment, our clients shall not vacate the company accommodation they are currently occupying as per your correspondences,” the lawyers submitted.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
“Therefore, any legal action you are going to take in your spirited effort to evict our clients as threatened shall be vehemently defended.”
The workers’ representative, Edson Mlambo, yesterday confirmed the standoff between the parties over the evictions. Bata managing director Ehsan Zaman could, however, not be reached for comment.
