Dunlop Zimbabwe gives striking workers ultimatum

Published: 17 July 2013

THE strike by Dunlop Zimbabwe workers continued yesterday with reports that management has given the striking workers an ultimatum to return to work or risk being fired.

According to the workers, the company's human resources manager, Mr Mbongeni Mkhwananzi, told them that those who failed to report for work will be fired.

"Mr Mkhwananzi has threatened to dismiss anyone who does not report for work tomorrow (today). He also said those who remained loitering outside the company premises risk being arrested," said a worker.

Another worker said management yesterday morning tried to force the workers to signing an agreement before being allowed to enter the company premises.

The document asks workers to pledge that they would perform their normal duties and not take part in the strike.

"We rejected it because the document does not state if our demands for a pay rise would be met," said a disgruntled worker.

The workers said the strike will continue until management agrees to engage workers in salary negotiations.

The workers downed tools on Friday demanding a pay rise.

The strike comes at a time when the tyre manufacturer indicated last month that it had increased its capacity utilisation to close to 50 percent which is sustained by an increased demand of its tyres on the export market.

Recently, the company introduced a new brand of tyres from Netherlands following revelations that Apollo Vredenstein, which owns a majority stake in the company, had purchased six new presses for the production of high quality tyres with the intention of buying 18 more to increase production volumes.

Dunlop Zimbabwe is one of the few manufacturing companies in Bulawayo that have not closed shop or relocated.
- chronicle