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to US$4 million.
The outstanding salaries and arrears date back to 2008.
The council is already failing to pay workers on time.
The workers claim that the municipality had refused to implement a decision by an independent arbitrator, who in 2008 awarded them an increase in wages and salaries.
The two parties had been deadlocked over the issue for a long time.
The arbitrator’s decision to award the increment was also upheld by the Labour Court.
However, council continued to ignore the ruling, forcing the workers to approach the High Court.
Labour lawyer, Mr Rodgers Matsikidze of Matsikidze and Mucheche Legal practitioners, is acting for the workers.
Masvingo City council workers committee chairperson, Mr Bernard Mazarire, last week confirmed the lawsuit.
“We were forced to approach the High Court because we want them to enforce the decision that was made by the Labour Court which awarded workers salaries and wages increments in 2008, which to our dismay has continued to be ignored by our employer.
“We agreed to approach an independent arbitrator which we did resulting in us being awarded an increment in our salaries and wages but council never implemented that,” he said.
He said workers were also irked by a wide chasm between senior council employees and workers at the low tier whom he said were earning peanuts and should be awarded a substantial salary increment.
However, Masvingo Mayor Alderman Femius Chakabuda, scoffed at the move by the workers.
He said the lawsuit was ill-advised as council had already appealed against the Labour Court decision.
“We appealed at the Labour Court against the decision.
“We gave them the reasons why we are not able to pay the money and those reasons cannot be discussed in the Press.”
Council sources said the local authority was battling a serious cash shortage and was not in a capacity to settle the arrears.