NATIONAL Mine Workers Union of Zimbabwe (NMWUZ) president Kurebwa Javangwe Nhomboka has called for the amendment of the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) for the mining sector.
In a letter addressed to the National Employment Council for the Mining Industry dated September 19 this year, Nhomboka cited critical issues that include the need to revamp allowances given to mining workers such as transport and housing.
He said emerging mining companies were not paying employees transport and accommodation allowances, creating a disparity in their earnings.
“Owing to the technological changes and taking into cognisance the current year promulgation of our CBA, some of the job titles are not existent in the current CBA and thus requiring a complete overhaul of the positions and grades and this process needs a job evaluation exercise to be conducted by a separate committee,” Nhomboka said.
He also called for the inclusion of paid educational leave and compulsory medical check-up for workers in dusty mining environments.
Other amendment proposals include to improve the grading of small worker category employees who are to be graded into grades 1, 3, 7 and 11.
“The justification is that in providing for grades 1, 5 and 11, there is too narrow a margin considering the many skills acquired by the modern-day employee and thus adding some grades in-between the existing grades will cater for those employees under the small worker category,” he said.
On freedom of association which is a worker’s constitutional right, Nhomboka called for the repeal of clause 7(9)(a)(ii)(i) of CBA .
Nhomboka added that: “Proposal to review gratuity percentages under clause 7(13) to at least one year — 3% in that ascending order up to 40 years — 42%. With regards to clause 7(14), gratuity percentage proposal to review five years 7% in ascending order up to 40 years — 42%.”
The NMWUZ president also said there was need to review and amend annual leave days, sick leave and maternity leave.
There are also calls to amend the CBA to accord contract workers in the mining sector fixed term contracts.
“There is need to incorporate under clause 34 (contract workers) a sub-clause giving effect to a ceiling or number of fixed term contracts warranting an employee to be on an employment contract without limitation of time as has been mandated by the Labour Act [Chapter 28:01].
“Schedule E on remuneration to be repealed on the basis that wage rates are now being negotiated separately from time to time,” he said.
There was also a proposal to amend working hours and overtime.
“We propose that no (payment) shall be (made) in lieu of overtime worked, if parties agree on time off and it should be (compensated) as follows — when an employee works 10 hours on a public holiday, the hours of rest should be 20, in simple terms the hours worked should be doubled and on normal working days the hours worked (should be) multiplied by 1,5,” Nhomboka said.
“Working days should be from Monday to Friday with Saturday and Sunday being weekly rest days. Employees engaged on staff work to be paid 0,75% of their basic earnings for each hour worked beyond 208 hours in a working monthly wages and salaries (sic). Overtime worked, bonus or any incentive should be paid separately from wages/salaries.”
Nhomboka said workers working with mechanised mining equipment without proper grades should be given an acting 30% allowance.
“When one is qualified to operate more than one machine, that person should be remunerated by adding a notch on every extra machine being operated as follows: B4-1 machine, B4-2 two machines, B5-3 three machines.
“The provision requiring the employer to levy for the provision of water, electricity, fuel, etc, should be repealed and substituted with a provision compelling the employer to provide these utilities free of charge.
“Grades of the operators should be reviewed upwards as the industry is now being involved in mechanised mining and this should be done under the job evaluation exercise.
“We propose review of the current heat allowance to 1% of one monthly basic multiplied by the number of shifts worked.” – (Newsday)
