‘Cease all mining operations’

THE Zimbabwe Diamond and Allied Minerals Workers Union (Zdamwu) has called upon the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe (CoMZ) and all mine workers to immediately stop going to work for the next 30 days in order to stop the spread of the coronavirus. The call by Zdamwu follows the gazetting of a 21-day lockdown decree by government to minimise the spread of the deadly coronavirus. “While we appreciate some of the efforts that are being put by government to prevent the spread of the virus, we believe that these are not enough if mines continue business as usual, thus our call for Chamber of Mines to take the next decisive act of shutting down all mines across the country,” read a letter signed by the union’s general secretary Justice Chinhema.

“This should be supported with an assurance that workers will not lose their wages, leave, and other benefits due to this pandemic. Individual mines are encouraged to prioritise dialogue and consultation and through works council on how to make sure essential services that should be manned by a workforce that is well protected and motivated.”… “While we are aware that other countries have put in place measures to compensate workers for the loss of incomes, we call upon our employers to be empathetic to their employees and provide the necessary social security safety nets as a matter of urgency since the disruptions to production have been occasioned by a superior force beyond anyone’s control,” Chinhema said.