BCC firm in wages dispute

A BULAWAYO City Council (BCC)-owned company, City of Kings Business Ventures, has been dragged to the Labour Court over a wage dispute.

The company was formed in 2007.

In a recent ruling, Bulawayo Labour Court judge, Mercy Moya-Matshanga said: “The employees of City of Kings Business Ventures are free to negotiate salary increases they deem fit which their own organisation can pay if they are so minded.”

In a letter addressed to company management, workers complained of poor working conditions.

“This company was set up to run departments that were previously run by BCC. As a result, some council employees were assimilated into the company and consequently obliged to adopt council conditions of services,” they said.

“When council employees joined the new company, assurances were given that their conditions of service would not be altered and that if any changes were to occur, these would be only positive improvements on current conditions.”

Indications are that the employer has, however, reneged on the promise to adopt the BCC pay scale and other working conditions.

“Currently workers are being paid ZWL$14 000. This has turned them destitute,” they said.-newsday