RMS workers go four months without pay

RMS workers go four months without pay
Published: 27 February 2014
ROAD MOTOR SERVICES (RMS) has failed to pay its workforce their salaries for the past four months as it emerges the company continues to battle a tight liquidity crunch blamed on the prevailing harsh economic climate.

There is a general consensus the Zanu-PF administration has equally failed to inspire confidence in the economy resulting in a fresh melt-down now threatening companies and businesses struggling to keep their heads above water.

Southern Eye Business was yesterday inundated with calls from disgruntled RMS employees who said they were last paid in November.

Some claimed they have been evicted from their lodgings due to failure to pay rentals for the past four months.

They claimed management blamed failure to meet their monthly obligations since November to the harsh economic conditions.

"We have not been paid our salaries for the past four months and how does management expect us to survive?" asked one of the workers, speaking strictly on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation.

"We have families and we have to pay rentals. How do we do that when we are not getting our salaries?" chipped in another worker.

Some of the workers complained that their insurance policies had lapsed as the company was no longer contributing to their accounts.

RMS managing director Cosmos Mutakaya, through his secretary, refused to comment on the issue.

"Mr Mutakaya said I should tell you that he has no comment on the issue," said the secretary before ringing off.

RMS is a unit of the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) which has also has been failing to pay its workers, citing liquidity challenges and antiquated machinery which has resulted in depressed operations.

NRZ last year proposed to retrench 4 000 of its employees, but the move was blocked by Transport and Infrastructure Development minister Obert Mpofu who pledged he would turn around the State enterprise to reach its former glory of the 1990s.
- Southern Eye
Tags: RMS, Salaries, Pay,

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