Trade union leaders dispute deal with AngloGold Ashanti

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Sunday October 23, 2011

By FINNIGAN WA SIMBEYE, 23rd October 2011 @ 13:00, Total Comments: 0, Hits: 332

SUSPENDED Geita Gold Mine (GGM) trade union Chairman, Aloyce Shigela and Secretary Thomas Sabai have disputed existence of any agreement signed with the company’s management to keep union activities outside the company’s premises.

“They misinformed the minister on this because the agreement has long been severed,” said Shigela over the phone from Geita on Sunday.

Mr Shigela pointed out that under an agreement brokered by former Mwanza Regional Commissioner, Abas Kandoro the deal which Minister for Labour and Employment Gaudensia Kabaka was informed as being in force when she visited GGM recently had actually expired last July.

“Notice to abolish the agreements was served last July in relation to the Access Code while that for Code of Conduct will end this month,” Shigela argued. Shigela and Sabai were suspended by GGM management over three months ago because of their conducting trade union activities within the company’s premises.

Ms Kabaka who visited the GGM premises, said she had failed to meet workers within the company premises to discuss their fate because of the existence of the 2005 agreement. Kabaka accused Tanzania Mine and Construction Workers Union for signing a deal with GGM management in 2005 which restricted union activities outside the company’s premises.

“I met with a forum of workers because Tamico signed a binding contract with management in 2005 not to undertake union operations within the company’s premises,” she pointed out while revealing that during her meeting with workers’ forum, she was informed that both the Tamico branch Chairman and Secretary, Alyoce Shigela and Thomas Sabai respectively, were suspended.

But Shigela accused Labour Officers from Mwanza Region of working closely with GGM management to the detriment of workers saying in one case, one labour officer who also accompanied Kabaka on her recent visit to GGM, assisted one of the contracted firms at the mine, AusDrill to close down a trade union branch office at its premises. "

“We ask ourselves what this labour officer is doing to protect interest of suffering Geita Gold Mine workers who are overworked and underpaid,” wrote Mr Sabai in a statement.

Meanwhile, a probe team established by AngloGold Ashanti and International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers Union (ICEM) last May to investigate workers’ rights abuses, has reached an agreement to be signed soon.

AGA Public Affairs Manager, Alan Fine said details of the deal remain a secret but that, “We believe we have reached agreement.

However, we are waiting for an opportunity for AGA and ICEM executives to meet to sign an agreement and until then we can’t say anything.”

Activists from Legal and Human Rights Centre who visited Geita and Golden Pride mine owned by Resolute Resources earlier this year reported gross violation of workers and neighbouring villages’ rights by the two companies.

 

[nngu007]

Wasiruhusu Ashanti GOLD kuondoa Vyama Vya Wafanyakazi Migodini; Watanzania Wafanyakazi Migodini watakosa Maslahi Kazini; Marekani Migodini kuna Vyama Vya Wafanyakazi Tusidanganyike.

 

[MAGAMBA MATATU]

Hata Buzwagi hili suala lipo na kibaya zaidi serikali haisaidii sifaham nikwanini?????

 

[Kiponya]

Kuna tatizo moja kubwa hapa kwetu Tz! Watu wote wanaokuwa viongozi wa vyama vya wafanyakazi katika maeneo ya kazi na hata kanda wengi wao wana uelewa mdogo sana, pia wanaamini kwamba wanapokutana na waajiri huwa wamekutana na wagomvi wao na matokeo yake wanakosa uwezo wa kujenga hoja na kuishia kugombana tu.

Ninachoshangaa hapa ni comment ya waziri kuhusu mikutano kufanyikia nje ya eneo la kazi wakati sheria ya Ajira na Mahusiano Kazini 2004 na kanuni zake zilizoandaliwa na wizara yake zinataka mikutano hiyo ifanyike ndani ya eneo la kazi na muda wa saa za kazi. Sasa haya makubaliano ya 2005 yanapingana na miongozo ya wizara?

 

[Bigaraone]

Mama Kabaka hayo uliyokutana nayo hapo AngloGold Ashanti ndio hali halisi ktk sehemu nyingi za kazi hapa Tanzania. Kwa kuwa serikali zetu zimeshindwa kutekeleza baadhi ya sheria ilizotunga yenyewe na kuacha mwanya wa kila mtu kutafsiri anavyoka.

Tunayo sheria ya kazi ya mwaka 2006 (Labour Act 2006).Ukiisoma ni nzuri sana maana inampa mfanyakazi kudai haki yake kama ameonewa.Hakika ukiisoma unaweza kuhisi inamlinda mno mfanyakazi lakini inapokuja kwenye utekelezaji wapi.

Kwa mfano sheria inatamka waziwazi mfanyakazi anayeona ameonewa na mwajiri wake kwa kumwachisha kazi kinyume cha sheria kufungua madai Tume ya usuruhishi (CMA). Inatakiwa shauri likishapata msuruhishi liamriwe ndani ya mwezi kama ibara ya 86 (4) inasema

(4) Subject to the provisions of section 87, the mediator shall resolvethe dispute within thirty days of the referral or any longer period to
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which the parties agree in writing.

Hapo unaona kuwa kama itatumia kipindi kirefu iwe kuwepo na makubaliano kwa maandishi.Lakini kinachotokea huko kwenye tume ya usuruhishi ni vichekesho. Kuna kesi zina miaka zaidi ya mitano.

Kuna watu wanasubiri hukumu miaka zaidi ya mitano.Wamesaga viatu na sole imekwisha. Kuna kuhairisha cases kwa sababu ambazo haziingii akilini. Msuruhisi anakupanga tarehe ya kuendelea kwa shauri.Siku ikifika mnaambiwa kaenda kufanya mitihani au yuko likizo au sababu nyingine.

Wakati mwingine unaambiwa haijulikani alipo na hakuacha diary ili kupata ni lini tarehe inayoonekana wazi ili case zihairishwe tarehe hiyo.Kwa hiyo kinachofanyika CMA ni upotezaji wa muda na umangimeza wa ajabu.Panaihiaji kumulikwa