ZBC employees demand audience with Mnangagwa over poor salaries
Workers at the state run Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) are demanding an urgent meeting with President Emmerson Mnangagwa over the poor salaries they are getting.
Recently, there was drama at ZBC as CEO Adelaide Chikunguru was said to have stormed out of a meeting with employees, signifying a major rift between the management and workers.
In a letter dated October 6, the ZBC workers committee demanded an audience with Mnangagwa citing that their salaries and benefits were too low.
“ZBC employees have since declared incapacitation and are requesting your office to facilitate a meeting with the Head of State to hand over a petition and highlight several issues that have been affecting them,” read the letter.
“This comes after months of requests by employees to meet the first citizen, which was delayed by the ZBC workers committee with the hope that a long-lasting solution would be found for the problems bedeviling the corporation and employees.”
As their major grievances, the workers who include but not limited to presenters, reporters and cleaners cited:
“Staff welfare- failure to comply with NEC minimum salaries, and pension, Covid-19 allowances- 5 months arrears, unpreparedness for the 2023 elections period resources, transport, equipment, and staff morale and abuse of company resources- fuel, hiring of vehicles.”
They also mentioned victimisation, high staff turnover – at Executive, Management and General staff level, nosedive of ZBC standards- Content, brand, and local allowances for productions and collapse of the relationship between employees and the CEO.
In June, ZBC workers threatened to strike over poor salaries while accusing the organisation of flouting procurement procedures.
They demanded the authorities intervene and investigate allegations of mismanagement of funds and resources or abuse of office at the Corporation.
They stated “their welfare is being affected by the alleged mismanagement.”
