BULAWAYO
–
Workers
at
a
Powers
Sales
warehouse
in
Bulawayo’s
Belmont
industrial
area
on
Wednesday
refused
to
leave
company
premises
to
try
and
press
for
the
repayment
of
outstanding
wages.
The
job
action,
according
to
insiders,
was
fueled
by
rumours
the
famous
fabric
and
clothing
store
was
due
to
shut
its
warehouse
for
good.
Disgruntled
workers
who
spoke
to
ZimLive
on
condition
of
anonymity
said
their
boss,
identified
as
Elana
Chicsen
has
not
helped
matters
after
he
has
been
laying
off
workers
without
paying
their
outstanding
wages.
They
believe
this
could
be
her
attempts
to
recycle
staff
without
paying
them.
The
employees
have
refused
to
go
down
the
same
path.
“…We
have
decided
to
set
camp
here
tonight;
we
are
not
going
anywhere
until
we
have
received
our
salaries,”
vowed
one
worker.
“Last
year,
using
the
same
trick,
a
dozen
of
workers
were
dismissed
without
receiving
their
salaries.
“We
think
this
is
her
modus
operandi
which
we
as
workers
here
at
Belmont
dismiss
unanimously.”
The
situation
became
messier
after
the
company
Human
Resource
(HR)
Officer
attempted
to
serve
them
with
some
dismissal
letters
at
around
5PM
on
Wednesday
when
they
were
due
to
knock
off.
“The
HR
came
around
knock-off
time
and
called
us
one-by-one
to
the
Factory
Manager’s
office
to
serve
us
retrenchment
papers
but
fortunately,
we
had
unanimously
agreed
as
colleagues
not
to
sign
anything
until
our
salaries
and
benefits
are
paid
or
they
give
us
some
of
the
machinery
since
they
are
allegedly
shutting
down
the
shop,”
said
a
worker.
Reports
suggested
the
standoff
went
on
into
the
night.
At
around
8PM,
the
HR
promised
workers
half
of
their
salaries
and
ordered
them
to
go
home
but
they
still
refused
to
accept
part
payment.
The
25-branch
store
is
rumoured
to
be
in
the
process
of
laying
off
over
60
employees
in
its
Bulawayo
branch
and
keep
a
lean
staff
of
30.
Workers
also
accused
their
employer
of
defiantly
telling
employees
not
to
question
her
about
her
money
each
time
she
is
confronted
over
outstanding
wages.
ZimLive
however
could
not
readily
find
comment
from
the
company
management.