Zimpapers Logo

Daniel Nemukuyu Harare Bureau
Lawyers representing ZBC workers said the decision by the parastatal to unilaterally slash salaries to the levels of 2010 was unlawful and should be reversed immediately.In January, ZBC, which had been struggling to pay its workers, slashed the salaries and there were reports that some workers were being unfairly dismissed.

The workers engaged B Mutanga Attorneys to represent them and on Friday last week, the lawyers wrote to ZBC’s acting chief executive Allan Chiweshe threatening to take the matter up with the courts if the decision was not reversed.

In a letter dated August 1, 2014, the lawyers argued that the action by ZBC was not supported by any law and it should be nullified.

“We advise that such action (that is the unilateral slashing of salaries) is unlawful and can neither be supported nor justified at law,” they said. “We further advise that as from today (August 1) you immediately revert back to their salary regimes as they were pegged as at December 31, 2013.”

The workers want the parastatal to issue a public statement and circulate internal memos to that effect.

The lawyers said ZBC should start paying the workers their outstanding salaries emanating from the unilateral decision to slash the salaries.

“In the interim, we are instructed to demand from you as we hereby do, that you pay all affected employees their salaries as they were pegged as at December 31, 2013,” the lawyers said.

“Your office obviously has all the information regarding the affected employees. We are further instructed to demand that all affected employees be given that portion of their salaries which was slashed as a result of the unlawful and unilateral decision to slash their salaries with interest at the prescribed rate.”

Some workers, according to the letter, have been targeted for possible victimisation and suspension from duty based on flimsy allegations.

The workers argue that the victimisation and harassment was both counter-productive and unlawful.

ZBC is yet to respond to the letter.