By Philemon Jambaya
Cash strapped Movement For Democratic Change (MDC) has retrenched almost all of its entire staff without paying terminal benefits, Zim Morning Post has learnt.
Sources within the Nelson Chamisa led opposition party told this publication that only directors and security personnel were spared the axe.
“Only directors and security guys were spared from this move, we were sent packing without any terminal benefits,” said a retrenched employee who refused to be named.
However another source in the party’s National Standing Committee said that the party is waiting for the government grant to cover its debts.
“It is true that some of our workers did not get their benefits but we are just waiting for the government grant , it will settle some of our debts owed to other stakeholders,” said the highly placed source.
The MDC recently received $4 million from the treasury under the Political Finance Act and many hoped they would use the money to cover expenses like outstanding salaries.
However, MDC secretary general Charlton Hwende dismissed the claims that they have sent workers packing without terminal benefits.
“I am actually hearing this for the first time , if we are to retrench people we will follow the Labour laws, we are just streamlining our workforce , I can confirm that we have a voluntary termination package,” said Hwende.
This publication earlier reported that the MDC’s coffers were drying up and the party was mooting to retrench its workers using the basis of the infamous 2014 Zuva ruling.
The Zuva ruling is the 2014 Supreme Court Judgment No 43-15 which found that employers have a common law right to dismiss employees on notice.
The MDC-A has been struggling to pay salaries to its employees since 2018.
According to the MDC workers committee, the party has gone for 13 months without fulfilling its salary obligations. Zimmorningpost
