Zimbabwe Banks and Allied Workers Union (ZIBAWU) has stomped Nedbank Harare offices Tuesday afternoon demanding cushioning allowances for their members who are employed by the bank threatening to target the bank’s headquarters in South Africa.
Speaking to this publication in an exclusive interview Zibawu Secretary General Peter Mutasa said they were angry with the way Nedbank is treating its employees claiming the bank was practicing morden day slavery.
“Prices are going up everyday and workers are now incapacitated and workers deserve a wage increase, unfortunately that Nedbank is refusing to follow what other banks have been doing to give hardship allowances.
“It’s unacceptable that Nedbank management claims they are waiting for a directive from their Headquarters in South Africa yet when increasing bank charges and taxes they do not wait for them.”
He claims employees are now working for bus fare and food, leaving them unable to provide basic commodities for their families.
Mutasa said today’s activity was a rehearsal of what they will be doing in South Africa at the NedBank Headquarters.
“We had scheduled for South Africa this week but logistics hindered us but we are now prepared next week we will be picketing at their offices demanding cushioning allowances that will match the current economic hardships,” said Mutasa.
He further said they had organized with their sister union in South Africa, South African Society of Bank Officials (SABSO) and they have heard the plights of Zimbabwean Bankers and will be joining Zibawu in picketing the whole week.
Mutasa said “We will make enough noise in South Africa that will disrupt business in South Africa until the bank listens to their plights.”
The banking industry has been giving its employees cushioning allowances since February to cover the economic hardships that have bedeviled the country.
This comes after the Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube announced that government would give all civil servants hardship allowances pleading with private companies to do the same.
