Gweru to retrench 500 workers

MDC-T-RUN Gweru City Council is set to retrench at least 500 employees before end of year.

Gweru Mayor Councillor Charles Chikozho and Urban Councils Workers Union Gweru Branch chairperson Mr Kudakwashe Munengiwa yesterday confirmed the development, but differed on the figures and processes involved.

“Gweru City Council, it being a quasi-government organisation, it should follow the Government’s thrust of creating jobs, not to destroy them. As the employer they should also consider the social repercussions of losing a job in these hard times,” said Munengiwa.

“Yes there was a job evaluation exercise which we carried out, but we are still at draft stage. The decision on the number of people to be retrenched will only be made after the completion of the exercise.

“Also the implications of the exercise will only arise after the process has been completed,” said Mayor Chikozho.

However, Mr Munengiwa put the figure at 500 workers across the spectrum.

“Our members are yet to officially receive the final report from those who were hired.

“When we receive it officially we will study it and make a detailed report after consulting our lawyers and national leaders,” Mr Munengiwa said.

He added that whatever stance the local municipality will take it should be guided by the national policy thrust.

ZUCWU branch chairperson said since Gweru is a rapidly growing city it actually needs more people now than before to provide services.

“Since millennium Gweru has housed between 7 000 to 8 000 units so it can’t be that all of a sudden workers have increased,” said Munengiwa.

“The retrenchment exercise is not only targeting general workers like the 2015 scenario this time around even top management employees will not be spared the chop,” said Mr Munengiwa.

A council source yesterday said councillors had already adopted the motion to have the 500 workers retrenched as part of council’s measures to cut their huge wage bill.

“The report has already been compiled and councillors last week adopted a motion to downsize the workforce from 1 200 to 500.

“Councillors are only waiting for implementation of the decision to sack the workers,” said the source.

For the past two years council has been musing over a decision to cut its workforce by half.

The struggling local authority in 2015 reportedly sent termination of employment letters to 100 employees.

The majority of those fired were contract workers.