Striking Tongaat Hulett workers at Hippo Valley Estate offices last Friday
Walter Mswazie recently in Chiredzi
ABOUT 16,000 workers of sugar giant, Tongaat Hulett Zimbabwe, have embarked on an indefinite industrial action demanding a salary increment. The workers, mainly from lower grades, staged a sit-in starting Friday morning and have vowed to continue until management addressed their grievances. Zimbabwe Sugarcane Milling Workers’ Union secretary general, Tendeukai Chinooneka, said workers resolved to strike following the collapse of negotiations over pay rise between them and the employer.
Workers want a minimum wage to be increased to $350 from $170 per month, at par with the company’s subsidiaries in Swaziland, South Africa and Mozambique. Chinooneka said lower grade workers earn $170 per month, which is far below the poverty datum line (PDL) of about $500.
He said the minimum wage for a worker in the lowest grade in Tongaat Hulett-Mozambique, for instance, was $480, South Africa R6,000 and in Swaziland $400.
“As sugar cane milling workers we engaged the company in April asking for a pay rise. They initially promised us $3, which later went up to $3,50 and $5 respectively but the increment was never implemented,” he said. “You can imagine someone getting $170 per month. This isn’t sustainable given the fact that we’ve families.”
Chinooneka said the strike was conducted within the confines of the labour law. He said the workers gave their employer a 14-day notice to act on their grievances as they accused management of being “arrogant”.
“We’ve decided to take this route because the employer hasn’t been forthcoming. Workers have vowed to stage a sit-in till their grievances are met. Of all the four Tongaat Hulett sugar companies in the Southern Africa, Zimbabwe is the most productive, realising millions of dollars per year. Ironically our workers are the least paid. There’s Tongaat Huletts in Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland and Zimbabwe,” he said.
Chinooneka alleged the least paid manager at Tongaat gets $18,000 per month compared to a “paltry” $170 given to lowest grade workers. Tongaat Huletts’ corporate affairs manager, Adelaide Chikunguru, confirmed the strike in a statement.
“Following failure to reach an agreement with workers, represented by ZISMIWU, the company engaged the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare for conciliation.
“After conciliation failed to resolve the matter a certificate of no settlement was issued. After certificate was issued the matter could have gone through arbitration but the union abandoned this process and gave a 14-day notice to strike on November 10,” said Chikunguru.
She said in accordance with the law, the company has applied for a “show cause order” and disposal order but the minister has not yet issued the application. Chikunguru said in the absence of the minister’s intervention, the company will apply for an interdict from the High Court to stop the strike.
She argued the company’s minimum wage of $170 remains competitive in the agricultural industry. “The minimum wage of $170 is the highest in the agricultural and agro-processing industry. Workers also receive subsidised housing, water, amenities, education and free health care services. Tongaat Hulett operations in Zimbabwe continue to engage ZISMIWU for an amicable solution,” she added.
Chikunguru, however, allayed any fears of disruptions to the production of sugar saying Hippo Valley Estates ended its production season on November 25, while the Triangle Mill will be completing its crushing season sometime this week. She said there will be minimum disruptions to sugar milling operations.