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Firm employs casuals for 3 years -ministry
2006-09-09 09:33:49
By Mwinyi Sadallah, Zanzibar
It is now official. About 63 workers of the soft drink company, Zainabu Bottlers, have been working as ’casuals,’ contrary to the law, for three years running, the government has confirmed.
Commissioner for Labour in Zanzibar Iddi Ramadhan Mapuri made the disclosure yesterday following complaints raised by workers of the company to the Minister of Labour, Youths, women and Children, Asha Abdalla Juma, about their situation.
Mapuri said the the company has failed to obey labour laws.
According to Zanzibar Labour Laws of 2005, workers are supposed to be issued with permanent contracts after working for a period of six months.
Saying his office tried to intervene in 2004, he clarified that it did not work. The company refused even to allow establishment of workers’ union at its premises.
The workers informed the ministry about their situation two years ago.They work for 12 hours, from 8am to 8pm and are not paid for the overtime.
Workers said they have lost hope on the problem becoming solved in the near future.
When contacted, Zainabu Bottlers Executive Director Murtaza Turkey said: ”It is true most of the workers we have are casuals without permanent contracts.
That is the agreement between the company and the workers, which both sides have accepted,” he said.
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