Published: 17 February 2015

Bata Shoe Company employees yesterday left the Supreme Court on cloud nine after their employer's appeal against an order to award a wage increase was thrown out by the judges of appeal.

The court, comprising Justices Elizabeth Gwaunza, Antonia Guvava and Susan Mavangira, ruled that Bata's appeal against the decision of the arbitrator, who granted a 9,1% wage increment to the workers, would not stand.

The shoe company had initially appealed to the Labour Court to set aside the decision of the National Employment Council (NEC) of May 10 2011 and further sought to be exempted from paying the 9,1% wage increase for the period July to December, 2010.

The wage increase, according to the information conveyed in court, had been agreed upon by the labour bodies and representatives of employers and workers' unions leading to an arbitral award.

However, Bata was not happy with the arbitral award and sought to challenge it by approaching the NEC which apparently declined to entertain the shoe company on the basis that it had no jurisdiction to grant exemption on an arbitral award.

The decision by NEC prompted Bata to appeal to the Supreme Court after the same matter was dismissed by the Labour Court.
- newsday

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