BY JAMES MUTASA

Employers in the Ferro Alloy Industry have frustrated negotiations for allowances to be paid as compensation for shift workers a move seen as a direct defy to an instruction given by the National Employment Council for the Ferro Alloy Industry.

According to the Deputy General Secretary of the National Union of Metal and Allied Industries in Zimbabwe (NUMAIZ) James Nesvinga, all member companies of the NEC Ferro Alloy have failed to negotiate on an allowance which should be paid to night shift workers.

‘Circular number 12/2024 has ordered member companies who operates in the Ferro Alloy sector to negotiate shift allowances at the works council level, although negotiations were held at the works council level, no company managed to come up with an agreement.’ Nesvinga told The Worker.

‘This circular serves to advise all member companies that companies are being compelled to negotiate shift allowance at works council level for immediate adoption and implementation covering all shift employees,’ reads part of the circular written by Patience Chachoka the NEC Ferro Alloy General Secretary.

‘Negotiations should commence in earnest to ensure settlement by February 28, 2025,’ the circular went on. ‘The agreed shift allowance rates ought to be registered with the NEC Ferro Alloy General Secretary by February 28, 2025.’

But February had ended without companies agreeing on the shift allowances, a move which resulted in NUMAIZ contemplating referring the matter back to the NEC for determination.

‘We have noted with great concern that works council committees have failed to agree on the issue of shift allowances as directed by the NEC and as NUMAIZ we will not sit back and watch. Allowances are a form of salary increment and it is the nature of employers not to agree easily to either direct or indirect salary increment hence the stalling of shift allowance negotiations.

‘So we are going to revert back to the National Employment Council for remedy.’ Nesvinga said.