HARARE
–
The
National
Employment
Council
for
the
Electronics,
Communications,
Radio,
TV
Manufacturing
and
Allied
Industry
has
approved
an
application
by
the
Zimbabwe
Newspapers
Group
(Zimpapers)
to
place
employees
at
its
television
unit
on
short-time
working,
overriding
objections
from
the
workers’
committee
that
the
arrangement
was
unlawful.
The
determination,
signed
by
NEC
general
secretary
Patience
Kavuru
on
April
29,
authorises
Zimpapers
Television
Network
(ZTN)
to
operate
on
a
three-weeks-on,
one-week-off
rotation
for
two
months,
effective
May
1
to
June
30.
The
arrangement
reduces
affected
employees’
remuneration
to
75
percent
of
their
normal
salary.
The
NEC
said
the
measures
were
intended
to
“alleviate
the
financial
difficulties
currently
being
faced
by
the
company.”
Workers’
representatives
had
appeared
before
the
NEC’s
exemptions
committee
to
oppose
the
application,
arguing
that
the
proposed
arrangement
was
inconsistent
with
the
Labour
Act
and
Statutory
Instrument
247
of
2006.
Their
objections
were
grounded
in
the
principle
of
legality,
the
total
deduction
principle,
and
statutory
limits
on
remuneration
deductions
under
short-time
arrangements.
The
Workers
Council
also
raised
concerns
about
the
multiplicity
of
roles
already
carried
by
employees
at
what
it
described
as
an
already
understaffed
operation,
questioned
the
clarity
of
the
company’s
financial
disclosures,
and
challenged
management
structures
at
ZTN.
The
workers
said
management
had
failed
to
present
a
credible
roadmap
for
turning
the
broadcaster
around
during
the
period
of
reduced
working
hours.
The
NEC
proceeded
to
grant
the
application
after
hearing
submissions
from
both
sides.
Zimpapers,
the
state-owned
media
group
that
owns
Star
FM
and
publishes
The
Herald
and
Sunday
Mail
among
other
titles,
has
been
under
sustained
financial
pressure.
ZTN
broadcasts
on
Dstv
but
limited
advertising
has
led
the
TV
channel
to
be
subsidised
by
other
Zimpapers
divisions