GMB employees down tools, cite incapacitation
Harare- GRAIN Marketing Board (GMB) employees have Wednesday downed tools citing incapacitation ,Express Mail Zim can report.
In a letter directed to the chief executive seen by Express Mail Zim, employees said GMB failed to review salaries despite being awarded a minimum salary of US$350 through abitration.
The workers complained that the employer has turned a deaf ear on their pleas defending themselves that the board has not reviewed salaries.
Furthermore, , GMB has not been paying farmers and some of the disgruntled farmers told Express Mail Zim that they will be paid after Independence Day.
“We wish to advice that employees are incapacitated and can no longer afford to report for work consistently due to the meagre salaries that they are getting.
” The incapacitation came as a result as the employer failed to review salaries despite that the employees were awarded minimum salary of US$350.00 through arbitration. We have sought dialogue several times but employer has cited inadequate funding or no mandate from the board to review salaries.
” The need for urgent salary review cannot be over emphasized since the current salaries have been eroded and employees have not been spared by the continued increase in the cost of living,” read part of the letter authored by Workers Union president D Chigogo dated March 29.
He cited that prices of basic commodities are in sync with United States dollar parallel market rate, rentals and school fees have also been packed in USD which worsens their plight.
“The employer has taken our tolerance for granted.
“There is a limit to which employees can endure. Surely how do you expect an employee earning ZWL 29 000.00 to report for work every day as the salary cannot cover transport costs. “Through their representatives, employees have opted to stop the processing of this meagre salaries but employer went on to pay against their will.
“Management is not respecting our representatives, and as such, employees have resorted to come to Head Office on Thursday 30 March 2023 at 08:30am, so that they could explain the difficulties they are facing and ask why the Employer is failing to review salaries since July 2022,” further reads the letter.
Controversy has always trailed GMB like a shadow and it has been scandal ridden.
Efforts to get a comment from the chief executive hit a snag as he did not answer his mobile phone.
