By Donald Nyarota.
MUTARE, Zimbabwe. (News of The South) – Workers representatives have said workers in Chiadzwa diamond fields are uncertain of their future as government moves to merge companies extracting the precious gem.
Zimbabwe Allied Diamond Workers Union president Cosmas Sunguro revealed that workers have not been consulted over the proposed merger raising fear as some of them have gone for months without pay.
Sunguro said this unprecedented move has left workers disenfranchised with massive retrenchments of personnel under unclear circumstances also rampant saying this consolidation could render hundreds of workers jobless.
“As of now a number of mine workers are losing their jobs and we assume a greater number is going to fall in the pit of unemployment if the diamond companies are merged.
“The job losses occurring in the mining sector must be dealt with because what is happening is totally opposite of Zim Asset which talks of creation of employment,” he said.
Under the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Social and Economic Transformation (Zim Asset), the economic blueprint for government, a total of 2 million jobs were anticipated to be created. However diamond mines have to date retrenched over 600 workers according to Sunguro.
Sunguro also said this proposed merger could be problematic as working conditions vary from company to company meaning those working under good conditions could end up worse off or vice versa.
“At the same time the workers have different cultures defined by the different companies they used to work for, so it’s quite unfair to combine them and force them to compromise,” he said.
Sunguro made these remarks on the sidelines of Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association organized dialogue meeting on the proposed merger of diamond firms.
Sunguro also made sensational revelations of neglect of safety and health issues for workers who are forced to wear second hand protective clothing left by fired workers. He said issues of health are not taken seriously.
“Generally these issues are not taken seriously by the employers but these affect directly the production of a company, uniforms are not given to workers timeously.
“At times they are offered second hand clothes that would have been worn by dismissed workers thereby exposing workers to diseases,” he said.
The proposed merger was announced by permanent secretary in the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development Professor Francis Gudyanga after cabinet endorsed the proposed merger.
It is earmarked to restore accountability in the declaration of revenue or receipts from the gems as well as facilitate the growth of the capital intensive but viable diamond sector.
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