'Chinese takeover of Bikita Minerals brings more misery to workers', 24 April 2023

Masvingo province-based lithium mining company Bikita Minerals, which has been taken over by the Chinese, is registering steep surges in production of late, but its employees see no reason to celebrate this as working conditions deteriorate...

Employees complain of ill-treatment and withdrawal of incentives they enjoyed under the previous employer.  

In 2018, the old owners introduced a cost of living allowance (Cola) for all the workers, but the new shareholders have scrapped the benefit, insisting that the company is yet to break even.

This, the investigation established, is making it difficult for them to cushion themselves against rising inflation and the resultant cost of living....

A female employee who chose to have her identity hidden for fear of reprisals said she went on maternity leave for three months in 2022 and was automatically disqualified from the targeted bonuses since she was away from work.

Other employees who were also interviewed alleged that management was already reneging on paying the bonus as the workers were meeting the targets.

A middle-level employee who also requested anonymity alleged that stringent conditions were introduced to reduce chances of workers qualifying for the bonus.

“For artisans working on a 7am to 5pm shift to qualify for 100 percent bonus, they must work for at least 21 days per month. If one misses a day for whatever reason, the bonus rate is drastically cut.

“It’s even worse for the ordinary shift workers who must clock 26 days failure of which their bonus rates will be cut to almost nothing,” said the employee.

“Under the current working conditions, one must never get ill, lose a loved one or request a day off for whatever other reason,” said the employee...