NewsHarare- The National Mine Workers Union of Zimbabwe (NMWUZ) President Kurebwa Javangwe Nhomboka has called for the amendment of the Collective Bargaining Agreement for workers in the mining sector.In a letter written to the National Employment Council for the Mining Industry dated 19 September 2025, Nhomboka cited critical issues that include the need to revamp allowances given to mining workers such transport and housing.” Most of the mining companies coming into existence are not providing their employees with transport and accommodation and thus creating a disparity in their earnings with those employees being provided with transport and those being provided with company accommodation,” said Nhomboka.“The transport and housing allowances will cushion these employees who are not being provided with these benefits”.NMWUZ also called for the inclusion of a job evaluation committee under the Technical sub committee responsible for formulation of grades and evaluation process.“ Owing to the technological changes and taking into cognizance the current promulgation year of our CBA, some of the job titles are not existent in the current CBA and thus requiring a complete overhaul of the positions and grades and this process needs a job evaluation exercise to be conducted by a separate committee,”said Nhomboka.Nhomboka also called for the inclusion of paid educational leave and compulsory medical check ups as workers in the sector are subjected to a dusty mining environment during the course of their work.“There is need to include paid educational leave as an employee benefit provided that the education is industry related and that should be a subject for negotiations at the employment council.”” The proposed benefit is in line with the Labour amendment Act number 11 of 2023 under section 74 (3) (o).Mining employees are subjected to dust particles and thus raising their vulnerability to get infected with diseases such as pneumoconiosis. This therefore requires that there be periodical and compulsory medical check ups at least quarterly at the employer’s expense.” Further that employees be placed on an employer contributed medical aid scheme.”Other Amendments proposals also include to improve the grading of small workers and their employees who are to be graded into grades 1, 3, 7 and 11.“The justification is that in providing for grades 1, 5 and 11, there is too narrow a margin considering the many skills acquired by the modern-day employee and thus adding some grades in between the existing grades will cater for those employees under the small worker category.”On freedom of association which is a worker’s constitutional right, Nhomboka called for the repeal of clause 7 (9) (a)(ii) (i) of CBA .“The provision under clause 7 (9) (a) (ii) (i) of the CBA which reads as follows should be repealed as it whittles down the employee’s constitutional right of freedom of association and the right to organize; Provided that—(i) An employer who has received requests from less than 10 members of the trade union may refuse to make such deductions.“Repeal of the provision under clause 7 (11) which reads:” Provided that any dismissal shall be referred to a labour officer for an order or determination terminating the contract of employment in terms of regulations published under the Labour Act [Chapter 28:01], as amended from time to time.” As it is no longer in sync with our current disciplinary mechanism.”On proposal to review gratuity percentages, Nhomboka said:“Proposal to review gratuity percentages under clause 7 (13) to at least for 1 year – 3% in that ascending order up to 40 years – 42%.With regards to clause 7 (14) gratuity percentage proposal to review 5 years – 7% in ascending order up to 40 years – 42%.”The NMWUZ president also said there was need to review and amend annual leave days, sick leave and maternity leave.“We propose to amend annual leave days under clause 18 (1) and schedule D so that it consistent with the current Labour Act provisions. The same should be the same with clause 18 (12) with regards to sick leave.
Maternity to be amended from the current 90 days on full pay to 98 days on full pay as currently provided for by the Labour Act.”There are also calls to amend the CBA to give contract workers in the mining sector and fixed term contracts.“There is need to incorporate under clause 34 (Contract workers), a subclause giving effect to a ceiling or number of fixed term contracts warranting an employee to be on an employment contract without limitation of time as has been mandated by the Labour Act Chapter 28:01.“Schedule E on remuneration to be repealed on the basis that wage rates are now being negotiated separately from time to time.”There were also proposals to ammend working hours and overtime.“We propose that no overtime shall be paid in lieu of overtime worked, if parties agree on time off and it should be paid as follows-when an employee works 10hrs on public holidays, the hours of rest should be 20hrs and in simple terms the hours worked should be doubled and on normal working days the hours worked multiplied by 1.5,”said Nhomboka.“Working days should be from Monday to Friday with Saturday and Sunday being weekly rest days.Employees engaged on staff work to be paid 0.75% of their basic earnings for each hour worked beyond 208hrs in a working monthly wages and salaries.” Overtime worked, bonus or any incentive should be paid separately from wages/salaries.”Nhomboka proposed that workers working with mechanised mining equipment without proper grades must be given acting 30 percent allowances.“Mechanised mining equipment positions without proper grades such as BolterRigLHD operator dumper,operator rockscaler/rockshield utility vehicles (transport/charging/Tyre handler), bobcat operator, grader operator must be given acting allowances.It should be paid as 30% of the grade one is acting on.Multi skilled employees, when one is qualified to operate more than one machine, that person should be remunerated by adding a notch on every extra machine being operated as follows:B4-1 machineB4-2 two machinesB5-3 three machines.”Nhomboka concluded:On service pay, this is correct as it is regards to % ages but it should be added to the basic pay after every year completed.On appeal period, the period should be amended from three (3) working days to seven (7) working days.“The provision requiring the employer to levy for the provision of water, electricity, fuel, e.t.c should be repealed and substituted with a provision compelling the employer to provide these utilities free of charge.“Grades of the operators should be reviewed upwards as the industry is now being involved in mechanized mining and this should be done under the job evaluation exercise.Charge hands proposed allowance of $1 per shift worked. Underground work: Employees in grades 1-12 to receive a proposed allowance for working underground ranging from 20% of basic earnings per shift for it comes with high risks of accidents. Night work allowance to be reviewed from the current 10% of the basic earnings per shift to at least 1% of the monthly basic multiplied by the number of shifts worked in a month.We propose review of the current heat allowance to 10% of one monthly basic multiplied by the number of shifts worked.”Leave a ReplyCancel reply NewsHarare- The National Mine Workers Union of Zimbabwe (NMWUZ) President Kurebwa Javangwe Nhomboka has called for the amendment of the Collective Bargaining Agreement for workers in the mining sector.In a letter written to the National Employment Council for the Mining Industry dated 19 September 2025, Nhomboka cited critical issues that include the need to revamp allowances given to mining workers such transport and housing.” Most of the mining companies coming into existence are not providing their employees with transport and accommodation and thus creating a disparity in their earnings with those employees being provided with transport and those being provided with company accommodation,” said Nhomboka.“The transport and housing allowances will cushion these employees who are not being provided with these benefits”.NMWUZ also called for the inclusion of a job evaluation committee under the Technical sub committee responsible for formulation of grades and evaluation process.“ Owing to the technological changes and taking into cognizance the current promulgation year of our CBA, some of the job titles are not existent in the current CBA and thus requiring a complete overhaul of the positions and grades and this process needs a job evaluation exercise to be conducted by a separate committee,”said Nhomboka.Nhomboka also called for the inclusion of paid educational leave and compulsory medical check ups as workers in the sector are subjected to a dusty mining environment during the course of their work.“There is need to include paid educational leave as an employee benefit provided that the education is industry related and that should be a subject for negotiations at the employment council.”” The proposed benefit is in line with the Labour amendment Act number 11 of 2023 under section 74 (3) (o).Mining employees are subjected to dust particles and thus raising their vulnerability to get infected with diseases such as pneumoconiosis.
Night work allowance to be reviewed from the current 10% of the basic earnings per shift to at least 1% of the monthly basic multiplied by the number of shifts worked in a month.We propose review of the current heat allowance to 10% of one monthly basic multiplied by the number of shifts worked.” Harare- The National Mine Workers Union of Zimbabwe (NMWUZ) President Kurebwa Javangwe Nhomboka has called for the amendment of the Collective Bargaining Agreement for workers in the mining sector. In a letter written to the National Employment Council for the Mining Industry dated 19 September 2025, Nhomboka cited critical issues that include the need to revamp allowances given to mining workers such transport and housing. ” Most of the mining companies coming into existence are not providing their employees with transport and accommodation and thus creating a disparity in their earnings with those employees being provided with transport and those being provided with company accommodation,” said Nhomboka.
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“The transport and housing allowances will cushion these employees who are not being provided with these benefits”. NMWUZ also called for the inclusion of a job evaluation committee under the Technical sub committee responsible for formulation of grades and evaluation process. “ Owing to the technological changes and taking into cognizance the current promulgation year of our CBA, some of the job titles are not existent in the current CBA and thus requiring a complete overhaul of the positions and grades and this process needs a job evaluation exercise to be conducted by a separate committee,”said Nhomboka.
Nhomboka also called for the inclusion of paid educational leave and compulsory medical check ups as workers in the sector are subjected to a dusty mining environment during the course of their work. “There is need to include paid educational leave as an employee benefit provided that the education is industry related and that should be a subject for negotiations at the employment council.” ” The proposed benefit is in line with the Labour amendment Act number 11 of 2023 under section 74 (3) (o).Mining employees are subjected to dust particles and thus raising their vulnerability to get infected with diseases such as pneumoconiosis. This therefore requires that there be periodical and compulsory medical check ups at least quarterly at the employer’s expense.
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