ZESA sues employees for going on strike

By Tererai Karimakwenda
08 Sept 2005

The state controlled Herald newspaper reports that ZESA Holdings management is suing its employees for Z$1,5 billion because they lost revenue due to the strike action that took place from Friday last week until this Wednesday. Ironically, the workers’ union had called off the strike Wednesday after management agreed to meet with an Arbitrator appointed to resolve a deadlock over cost of living adjustments.

What ZESA employees want is a salary that is above the Poverty Datum
Line (PDL). This would mean a salary increase of more than 285 percent per employee. But management claim they can only afford a 35 percent rise.

The lawsuit by ZESA management is against the Zimbabwe Electricity and Energy Workers Union (ZEEWU), and it has allegedly angered the workers. The union’s general secretary Ian Munjoma is reported to have accused management of negotiating with the workers in bad faith, and resorting to court instead of addressing the problems workers are having.

ZESA has warned the employees that their industrial action was illegal and decisive action would be taken against those who participated in the strike. The utility recently hiked their fees in an effort to increase revenue. The employees hoped they in turn would get the salary increase they were asking for.