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Swaziland : CHANCELLOR HOUSE USES EVERY TRICK IN THE BOOK TO INTIMIDATE AND INSTILL FEAR IN WORKERS.

D 10 décembre 2014     H 05:27     A TUCOSWA (Swaziland)     C 0 messages


The Chancellor House Holdings (PTY) LTD armed with the armed forces, mainly from the Royal Swaziland Police and from His Majesty’s Correctional Service, choose intimidation and threatening tactics over negotiations and dialogue with its employees.

On Wednesday the 26th of November 2014 at or around 1700hrs, union leaders and Shop Stewards were called into a meeting which was said to be a negotiations meeting which had been scheduled to kick off at 1400hrs but was delayed by the late arrival of the Labour Commissioner. In the said meeting the union was served for the first time with a court order which imposed a 1700hrs curfew on all workers. While the union leaders were in a "meeting" the ARMED forces were pushing workers around. Some workers ran into the forests around the mine to protect themselves against the uncompromising "forces of fear". Workers were followed and picked one by one and were put into buses and driven out if the mine premises.

We were encouraged by the resilience of the workers who despite the threats and intimidation by the company decided to re-assemble on an open field. The police followed the workers and continued to drive by at high speed at and or around where the workers were assembled.
At or around 0400hrs the workers leadership after due consultations and consideration decided to disperse the workers until the morning of Friday the 28th of November 2014 as it was getting harder to keep the volume of workers together. The continued rufusal by the company to allow workers to access water, medication, toilets and sanitation materials made it impossible for the workers to remain assembled without compromising workers lives.

What made things even more difficult is that the company advised the person who sell food to workers and is also constructed to the company to provide cleaning services to choose between the striking workers and the company ; he had no choice but to choose the company. Even the most senior Manager of the company was not ashamed to confirm the company’s hardline and inhuman position against the workers in front if the Labour Commissioner.

We still call upon the company to refrain from intimidation tactics but engage the workers in dialogue for a lasting solution. The company is presented with a glorious opportunity to draw the workers and management team together. It is only when workers are happy and or are regarded as integral part of the company, that they would perform satisfactory.

We also urge all peace loving and responsible persons to speak to the company to adhere to good business principles. We remain committed to finding a lasting solution to the matter.

We encourage our members to remain united as the struggle for survival intensifies.

Issued by ;

Wander Mkhonza Secretary General