NRZ workers go on strike, protest over salaries

Published: 10 June 2013

National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) train operators yesterday went on strike in protest over management's failure to pay their salaries.

The 450 workers claimed they have not been paid over the past eight months and that they work under poor working conditions which endangers their lives.

The latest strike is a reflection of the many confrontations that management has had with its employees since 2009.

NRZ workers recently said they were owed more than US$31 million in salary arrears.

"The situation has gotten worse as we progressed to the present state where the National Railways of Zimbabwe owes eight months pay to all employees with no solution in sight," the workers said in a statement.

"We are appealing to landlords, schools and any other institution that are owed monies by employees of NRZ to bear with them and of course their families to understand the situation they are in."

The workers are represented by the Railway Artisans Union, Railway Association of Enginemen, Zimbabwe Amalgamated Railway Workers' Union and Railway Association of Yard Operating Staff.

RAE president Mr Norman Simba said the workers had decided to strike after noticing that their safety was at stake.

"It is saddening that management has failed to realise that our lives are now at risk since everyone is doing their work half-heartedly," he said. "Our trains no longer have functional brake pads and even the railway lines themselves are badly damaged. We can no longer put ourselves at risk."

NRZ general manager Retired Air Commodore Mike Karakadzai said the employees' grievances were nothing new.

"In light of the fact that their grievances are being addressed at various levels, there is really no need for an industrial action," he said. "The employees have already been told by the Labour Court not to strike until the matters are settled."

Rtd Air Commodore Karakadzai dismissed claims that management had not been paying salaries for the past eight months.

"We have been making sure that the employees get 100 percent of their net salaries after every six to eight weeks," he said.

"The eight months they mean are their thirteenth cheques from 2009, of course we have had challenges in getting income due to the low business, but we are trying our best."

Rtd Air Commodore Karakadzai urged workers to go back to work so that the NRZ does not lose more business.

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