8 000 TEXTILE WORKERS ORDERED TO EXPLAIN OVER 3-DAY ABSENCE

NHLANGANO – The four textile firms in Nhlangano have called upon their about 8 000 employees to come and explain why they were absent from work for more than three days in a period of 30 days without any report or a medical doctor’s letter.

The four textile workers are Zheng Yong, Juris Manufacturers, FTM Garments Swaziland and HO’s Enterprise. This was communicated through a statement dated April 20, 2022. According to the management of the four factories, in terms of section 36 of the Employment Act of 1980, such conduct by an employee could result in that employee being summarily terminated from work by an employer if found guilty. They stated that though the Employment Act of 1980 gave them the power to suspend the employees, they decided to allow them to return to the factories they worked for, not to work but to explain why they have been absent from work for more than three days. It was said the employees were expected to come on selected dates to be notified to them by their supervisors.

“Employees are requested to get the dates clearly from their supervisors when they are required to come to the factory to give their version of why they have been absent from work. This is to avoid any inconvenience of wasting transport fees and time,” reads part of the statement directed to the employees.  The management further said employees would not be intimidated when they went to the factory on the scheduled dates as there was a court order which required employees involved in illegal groupings to be at a radius of 5 kilometres away from the factories, hence, they would be protected from those who had intimidated employees who wanted to come to work in the past. It was said that it was only the employees who had been notified by the supervisors to come on the specified dates who would be allowed entry into the factories or reach the stipulated five-kilometre radius on those dates.

“We are all aware that employers and employees are brothers and sisters and we all need each other. It is for that reason that we as companies in the Nhlangano area have decided to come together to send out this message to you as employees of the four factories, to help us know why you cannot come to work for more than eight days consecutively,” reads the communication.  When contacted for comment, Amalgamated Trade Union of Swaziland (ATUSWA) Secretary General (SG) Wonder Mkhonza, said they felt this was a threat towards the workers. He said they were standing together throughout the struggle they were in and this was meant to separate them as workers.

“We will not be divided by the employer instead, we will return to work only after we get what we want. We want E15 per hour and that is all,” Mkhonza said. He stated that the employer wanted to pick and choose and further encouraged the workers not to feel intimidated by the employer. Mkhonza said even if the employer could win, they would not get peace until they gave the workers what they wanted. 

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