By JOKONIAH MAWOPA

Workers in the Detergent Edible Oils and Fats industry were awarded an 11.53 percent wage increment for the 3^rd Quarter of 2023 ( July to September) through an arbitral award by Hon M Ruziwa.

The latest increment will see the lowest paid employee earning USD404 per month in salaries and allowances. Parties to the NEC for Detergents Edible Oils and Fats Industry failed to reach an agreement during their Collective Bargaining process and agreed to refer the matter to Voluntary arbitration in August. The tribunal was given six terms of reference as parties failed to agree on the six items that were brought up  for negotiations by the trade Union.

The Tribunal was supposed to determine the minimum wage, transport and housing allowances, portion of wage to be paid in USD, notches for employees who have  served for five or more years and percentage of trade union and NEC dues to be  paid in USD.

The Employees through their trade union were demanding a minimum wage of USD382-00 transport allowance of USD88-00 and housing allowance of USD150-00  whilst the employers wanted to maintain the second quarter wages of USD268-80, USD44-00 and USD60-00 for transport and housing allowances respectively.

In awarding the wage increase the Arbitrator relied on two case laws, the Supreme Court case of Star Africa Corporation Ltd and Zimbabwe Sugar Refinery Workers Union ( SC65/21) in which Bhunu JA had this to say ………… ‘”the mere fact that an employer is operating at a loss is no licence for it to pay slave wages not worthy human dignity …………… “ and  Dururu TPT (Pvt) Ltd  v Mutamuko  N.O & Anor HH95/11 and the ILO 131 Convention : Minimum wage Fixing (1970) and the Labour Act ( Chapter 28:01) section 74 (n).

The arbitrator again ordered the payment of 45 percent of the wages, transport and housing allowances in USD this will see the lowest paid worker getting USD239-00 cash and ZWL equivalent to USD265-00.

Commenting, Detergents Edible Oils and Fats Workers Union President Edson Muzarurwi said the award was a welcome relief though as workers they had wanted more.

“Yes we appreciate the award though we were expecting more especially on the USD wage portion as around 80 percent of the transactions are now in USD, however there are other companies who are already paying above the 45 percent and we urge to continue excelling as employers of first choice”