Energy workers threaten national blackout over salary dispute
By Alex Bell
10 July 2012
Workers from Zimbabwe’s energy sector have threatened to pull the plug on
the country’s power supply by Thursday, if their demands in an ongoing
salary dispute are not met.
The Zimbabwe Energy Workers’ Union (ZEWU) on Monday issued a 72-hour
ultimatum to the national power provider ZESA and other private players, to
either meet their demands or face a nationwide strike. The workers want the
salary increase that was meant to be awarded to them after a legal dispute
in June.
ZEWU president Angeline Chitambo told journalists in Harare on Monday that
the Union grouping had resolved to embark on the strike, accusing ZESA chief
executive Josh Chifamba of not honouring an arbitration order from last
month. The order promised a new salary structure would be awarded to the
energy sector on June 18th.
“We have given Chifamba 72 hours to respond to our management in a
meaningful engagement and people should not be surprised if they wake up
without electricity,” Chitambo said.
Chitambo added: “We have written so many letters and I don’t think this
blackout is going to be news to Chifamba. It will only be news to him if he
takes us for granted.”
ZEWU is an umbrella body representing workers from ZESA, the Rural
Electrification Agency, Petrotrade, the National Oil Infrastructure Company,
Green Fuels, Powertel, the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and
Distribution Company, the Zimbabwe Power Company, Petrozim Lime, the Zambezi
River Authority and a Mozambican energy firm, CPMZ.
The threat comes as Zimbabwe continues to face power supply problems, with
the financially troubled ZESA unable to meet the countrywide demand for
power. Power cuts and load shedding are now a widely expected norm, and ZESA
has faced serious criticism for its service deliver failures.
Most recently, the power utility was criticised for its decision to carry on
providing estimated bills to energy users, despite its unreliable service.
ZESA has argued that it does not have the money to pay for meter readers.