Labour Forum: November 2017

LABOUR FORUM ISSUE 6 November 2017 www.ncslabour.co.zw @ncslabour on Facebook/ Twitter

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Feature

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Kershelmar Dairies: The success story of a ‘lean & mean’ strategy

Nov 2017. LABOUR FORUM. Page 2

EDITORIAL November 2017 CONTENTS Editorial ....................... Page 2

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hat you are holding now is the culmination of our hardwork and creativity as usual.

News ............................ Page 4 Trending Issue ............ Page 5

This month, we bring you Kershelmar Dairies ‘up close and personal’. Find out how they have been able to keep the dairy company running despite the depressed economy.

Labour Law ............... Page 7 Policy ............................ Page 8

In our trending issue, you will find retrenchment procedures laid out in a beautiful inforgraphic. We have done this just to make them easier to comprehend and remember. However, we are always at your service if you need help to implement these steps.

Events ....................... Page 9 FAQ’s .......................... Page 11 The Pulse .................. Page 12

Look out for a fresh testimonial in the Pulse.

After reading it, feel free to share yours too, because Your Story Matters!

PUBLISHERS NCS LABOUR & TRAINING CONSULTANTS +263 71 261 7383 / +263 712 717 708 Unit 8 Aida Court, Windsor Park, Famona, Bulawayo. @ncslive (Facebook, Twitter, Wordpress)

Editor Gladys Mpemba Non-Executive Directors Shepherd Mpemba Chido Mpemba Contributor Peter Ngorima Administrator Lucia Murumbi Design & Layout Tam’sanqa Mhepoh (+1-402-304-6540 / +263-71-292-3105) mhepoh@gmail.com Images and Illustrations Tamsanqa Mhepoh

On the Cover: Barry Brice and Trudy Selman, Kershelmar Dairies Executives.

A note from Gladys

Gladys Mpemba.

Editor

Labour Forum is NCS’s first electronic newsletter. The goal of our newsletter is to provide our established and prospective clients with news and info about human resources programs and events.

The newsletter is a free service emailed on a monthly basis with special editions throughout the year.

So well put together and very informative.

Thank you for the hard work - Esme Devilliers Your first addition was quite good and this one is superb. You are doing a sterling job and your newsletter is quite informative and a joy to read. Keep up the good work and I can not wait for the next edition. - Bheki Moyo: Auto Tyrres.

Another excellent newsletter. You are on a roll ….. good luck. - Les Ross: Girls College.

Congratulations Makorokoto. Thank you for your debut Newsletter. Well written and laid out. - Dr & Mrs Battey Congrats Gladys and team- very well presented and informative.- Anne Middleton -ER York.

GET YOURSELF AHEAD

WITH NCS LABOUR RELATIONS PUBLICATIONS

Retrenchment Disciplinary Procedures DIY – ONUS – He who Procedures & Labour Act Handbook.

Contracts of alleges must Guiding Court (Chapter 28:01).

(A practical employment. Updated to prove.

Cases. guide) (Standard Proce- (Drafting of incorporate all (A guide to prov$45.00. contract docuing 26 serious dures Applicable amendments as ments and job at 2nd March offences) to All Codes) descriptions) 2007. $30.00. $30.00. $30.00. $25.00.

Interested? Contact Gladys or Lucia on NCS Labour Relations Consultants 0712 617 383 or 0712 717 708 Unit 8 Aida Court, Windsor Park, 16th Ave, e- mail: ncslabour@gmail.com Famona, P.O. Box 215, BULAWAYO.

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ABOUT NCS

Background NCS Labour and Training Consultants is a leading consultancy in Zimbabwe providing advice and training in Labour Relations. We form partnerships with clients and assist in diagnosis of labour problems. We have the expertise to help clients get to understand labour issues.

Gladys Mpemba (Principal Consultant)

We have developed a Unique Service Practice over the years through - Availability - Professionalism -Location -Reliance - Accuracy - Ability

Our Services Policy Training

drafting

Arbitration

Enjoy

your holiday in a tranquil environment this festive season.

4 Lois Lane, Eloana, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.

Reservations: +263-9-77405 /+263-77-554-5983 www.retreatlodge.co.zw

Nov 2017. LABOUR FORUM. Page 4

NEWS PLASTIC INDUSTRY NEC In terms of S.I. 10 of 2014 which is the Collective Bargaining Agreement of the Plastic Industry Section 12.

(1) No employer shall place all or any of his or her employees on short time working without the prior written approval of the NEC who may approve that the employees be placed on short-time working.

Employees may be placed on short-time if:

(5) Permission issued der subsection (1) shall

unstate-

(a) It is economically necessary for the establishment to work short-time and (b) The establishment will be able to resume normal working hours within the foreseeable future and (c) It would not be in the interests of the employees to be discharged.

(6) An employer shall give his or her employees at least one working day’s notice of resumption of normal hours of work.

(a) The name and address of employer and (b) The grade or grades of employees affected and (c) The employer shall inform the NEC upon the resumption of normal hours of work.

MOTOR INDUSTRY NEC

(b) Particulars of any certificate of organisation issued to him by Council or the Apprenticeship Branch of the relevant Ministry.

(2) The written declaration referred to in sub-clause (1) shall be retained by the employer during the period of employment by him of the employee and for a period of not less than 3 years after termination of such employment.

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@ncslabour on Facebook/ Twitter

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policy

Kershelmar Dairies: The success story of a ‘lean & mean’ strategy

Provided that no employee shall receive less than 60 per centum 60% of his or her current weekly or monthly wage.

(a) The grade in which he is employed, whether as a journeyman, skilled worker, graded operator, general worker or any occupation listed in schedule F,

ISSUE 6 November 2017 www.ncslabour.co.zw

Profile

(2) The employer shall give at least one week’s notice to each employee concerned of the requirement to work short-time.

(3) Notwithstanding subsection (2) an employee may, at anytime during the week’s notice, give his or her employer notice of termination of his or her contract of employment as from the time short – time working is to start.

(4) During a period of short – time working an employee shall be paid for not less than the hours actually worked by him.

Section 5 of Statutory Instrument 35 of 2011 (S. I 35/2011 being the collective Bargaining Agreement of the Motor Industry outlines that: (1) An employee, on commencing employment with an employer shall complete and sign a written declaration in the form prescribed in schedule J setting forth –

LABOUR FORUM

(3) If during the course of an employee’s employment with any one employer – (a) The employee’s grade or occupation is changed or (b) The employee is issued with a certificate of registration in terms of this agreement or (c) A certificate of registration issued to the employee in terms of this agreement is cancelled: the written declaration referred to in this clause shall be amended accordingly by the employer and the amendment shall be signed by the employee as acknowledgment that the facts stated are correct and if his grade or occupation is changed, that he consents to such change.

(4) No employer shall employ a person on a contract or casual basis for a period in excess of three months without written permission of the Council

DISCLAIMER Labour Forum is not meant to be an exhaustive legal reference or a substitute of the statutes .It is among others, an explanatory guide to those parts of labour relations and human resources that directly affect the employment relationship.

The information, opinions and views set out in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of NCS, executive members nor any of their partners.Neither NCS Labour Consultants nor any person acting on their behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein. Rights to the photographs and articles remain with the photographers and with the authors respectively. Contact NCS Labour for reproduction. While all care has been taken during editing, errors and omissions may slip through and we sincerely apologise for these

MEET OUR TEAM

Shepherd and Chido Mpemba (Non Executive Directors)

Gladys Mpemba (Principal Consultant)

Lucia Murumbi (Administrator)

Godfrey Makasva (Office Assistant)

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T R E N DING IS SU E

council

employer applies for retrenchment certificate from ministry

Number of individuals

While retrenchment maybe the best move your company can make to stay afloat, it maybe a costly and tedious procedure. That is why you need NCS Labour Relations & Training Consultants. With 18 years of experience and expertise in labour law, we are just the partner your business needs for smooth retrenchment processes. Get in touch with us now: +263 71 261 7383 / +263 712 717 708 Unit 8 Aida Court, Windsor Park, Famona, Bulawayo.Zimbabwe. www.ncslabour.co.zw

Statistics presented at the 2017 NEC Councillors Symposium in Victoria Falls. Dates: 14 -17 November 2017

Nov 2017. LABOUR FORUM. Page 6

FEATURE 13 FORMS OF DISHONESTY IN THE WORKPLACE

by Ivan Israelstam

1. Stealing of the employer’s money out of the till, petty cash box or safe

2.Taking of business merchandise

3.Unauthorised and undisclosed use of employer’s equipment

4.False claims of illness as reason for absence from work

5. Punching an absent employee’s clock card

6. Getting another employee to punch one’s clock card in ones absence

7. Falsifying of cheques, invoices, quotations or business documents

8.Embezzlement of the employer’s funds

9.Misrepresentation or falsification of employment qualifications or other credentials

10.Fraud. For example, selling the employer’s merchandise or services and charging the client privately for own gain

11.Telling lies to cover up work errors or for other reasons

12.Secretly competing with the employer by engaging in own business in the same field

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ny forms of deception, illegal or unethical acts are detrimental to the employment relationship.

Where an employee is disciplined for any form of dishonesty the issue of trust arises.

BREACH OF TRUST & DISMISSAL

“...the employer’s right to dismiss the dishonest employee for breach of trust depends on the answers to a number of questions...”

The employer is entitled to claim that, where an employee is found guilty of dishonesty, the trust element of the employment relationship has been damaged.

However, this does not necessarily mean that the damage to the trust relationship is so bad that it is irreparable or that the breach of trust automatically merits dismissal.

13. Receiving bribes It is a well-accepted principle that employees are expected, as part of their employment contract, to behave honestly and in the interests of their employers; and that trust is an important element to consider in deciding whether the employment relationship of a dishonest employee should continue. However, the employer’s right to dismiss the dishonest employee for breach of trust depends on the answers to a number of questions including: • Was the trust really destroyed?

• Was the position that the employee occupied one where trust was a key factor. For example, did the employee work without supervision or with company funds?

• Was there an alternative corrective measure available short of dismissal?

• Has the employer acted consistently.

For example, have other employees, committing similar offences, been dismissed due to the destruction of the employment relationship?

• Did the employee try to cover up the

dishonest act with further dishonesty or did he/she immediately own up and show genuine remorse?

It is a combination of complex factors that will determine whether breach of trust merits dismissal or not.

Authorities and courts will not always accept allegations of breach of trust as justification for dismissal.

Employers are therefore warned that, before using breach of trust as justification for dismissal, they get expert advice as to whether, in the context of all the facts of the case and surrounding circumstances, such an argument will hold up in court.

Ivan Israelstam is Chief Executive of Labour Law Management Consulting in South Africa and has presented at NCS Labour Relations Seminars.Our thanks to Ivan and The Star newspaper for allowing us to reproduce their info.

Page 7. LABOUR FORUM. Nov 2017

POL IC Y

E M P LOY E R ‘PAYS’ FOR POOR R E C O R D KEEPING

by Peter Ngorima

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LL too often, employers seem to forget that under the Labour Act they have the duty to keep all records pertaining to employment conditions of their employees (this also includes domestic workers ).

It is not the employee’s duty to draft a contract of employment regulating conditions of work or make sure they are signed and safely stored.

Such argument will not see the day of light in court.

Employers sometimes lose cases simply because they do not keep adequate records or any record at all.

Section 12 of the Labour Act requires every employer to inform the employee in writing upon engagement of such employee.

The following South African Labour Appeal Court decision highlights the dangers and pitfalls of failure to keep proper documents by employers.

Case: TIBMS (Pty) Ltd t/a Halo Underground Lighting Systems v Knight and Another (JA292017) [2017] ZALAC 59 (18 October 2017) A look at the facts of the matter in brief reveals that: The employer had a dispute with a former employee who had resigned and was competing with him.

The employer approached the Labour Court

seeking to have the former employee’s business shut down. The reason: the employee has signed a “restraint of competition clause.”

The problem: the employer was asked to produce the restraint form signed by the former employee. The employer could not locate it.

Consequently, the employer lost the case.

Undaunted, the employer appealed to the Labour Appeal Court (LAC). The employer argued that both the former employee and another employee who also teamed up with her had both signed restraint clauses.

The employer further argued that both former employees had upon resigning, destroyed the documents.

The LAC was undeterred. It asked the employer to produce restraint forms signed by current employees.

This it reasoned, would add weight to the probability that the two former employees had signed the documents and later destroyed them.

Unfortunately for the employer, it did not have a single document to show the LAC! Faced with this situation, the LAC upheld the Labour Court’s decision.

Failure to have a written contract is a bomb waiting to explode. Trouble often starts when the employee feels unfairly or unlawfully terminated.

Section 125 mandates not only employers but principals of contractors to keep proper records as prescribed by the section.

Employers and principals who fail to produce

such record upon request are presumed to have violated the provisions governing conditions of work.

Falsifying any document in terms of the above mentioned section is a criminal offence. Although contracts of employment can be verbal, a written contract will provide proof of what parties agreed including issues of remuneration and probation periods if any.

Sloppy record keeping can result in all sorts of legal headaches especially where an employee claims a higher salary than what both parties had ‘orally’ agreed.

In other instances, greedy elements will see this as an opportunity to make spurious demands knowing fully well the employer has no record to disprove this.

It is worth pointing out that every employer should make every effort to ensure they have two copies of a contract (one as a backup).

This should not be difficult in this internet age where documents can be scanned and stored as soft copies.

As some employers have out too late, the cost of failing to keep proper records is far much higher than the cost of creating and keeping such records.

Image Credit: Recruiting Times

Nov 2017. LABOUR FORUM. Page 8

L AB OU R L AW

WHAT EXACTLY IS CONSTRUCTIVE DISMISSAL?

by Wiriranai Mateveke

T

HERE has been an upsurge of reported cases of Constructive Dismissal. In the majority of the cases the arguments cited by the claimants would not be sufficient to qualify the complaints as outright constructive dismissal. The influx of cases of this nature prompted me to focus on the subject to guide those who strongly believe that their cases are relevant to the claim as well as employers who are battling allegations of the same nature.

In Astra Holdings (pvt) Ltd (Appellant) vs Peggy Kahwa (Respondent), SC 97/04, it was held that constructive dismissal takes effect when an employee terminates employment following ill treatment by the employer. In advancing such a claim, the employee is ordinarily expected to prove that resignation was in response to a fundamental breach of contract in response to issues like isolation, humiliation in front of others or falsely being accused of misconduct.

Further, it was held in the same case above that for constructive dismissal to succeed, the employee must prove a fundamental breach, than just a minor one.

In employment law, constructive dismissal occurs when an employee resigns as a result of the employer creating a hostile work environment. Since the resignation was not truly voluntary, it is, in effect, a termination. Other circumstances that constitute constructive dismissal include such scenarios where an employer places extra ordinary and unreasonable work demands on an employee to obtain their

“...When an employee quits work because the employer was hostile..” resignation; this is tantamount to constructive dismissal.

Some employers create a toxic work environment, this is classically defined as unjustified criticism as well as vague and unfounded accusations of poor performance, especially where authority and respect with co worker has been seriously undermined and compromised. The fundamental breach of contract highlighted earlier on should be significant and traced to the root of the employment contract.

All contracts of employment have both the expressed and implied terms which parties should not contravene. Breach of mutual trust and confidence that is implied into all contracts of employment can be distasteful to parties to an employment contract.

An employee must sufficiently justify that his resignation following a perceived constructive dismissal was motivated by these or related reasons: • Humiliation, degrading or discriminatory treatment,

• Re-assigning of duties to a colleague or their dramatic change thereof, • Reduction of pay without misconduct or consensus, • Being bullied, belittled or psychologically harassed, • The act of the employer ignoring complaints, • Criticism in front of subordinates, • Disproportionate disciplinary penalty on an employee, • Demotion or change of responsibilities or position, such change should be significant enough to have fundamentally altered the terms of the employee’s terms of the contract.

Employees have to prove that their decision to terminate employment was in response to a perceived breach, not, for example, that one got alternate employment. In deciding cases of this nature, the court or tribunal would satisfy itself that the employee did not delay too long in resigning otherwise he would lose his justification for the constructive dismissal claim.

The courts also consider the significance of the variation of the terms of contract. Often, conditions of service provide for a grievance procedure in which case the employee would be expected to have made a prior attempt to resolve the complaint through that route before jumping ship.

Image Credit: The Chronicle

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EVENTS EVENTS TO LOOK FORWARD TO 1. 2017 SANORD CONFERENCE The Role of Universities In Research & Knowledge Transfer To Improve The Livelihoods In Southern Africa. The Southern African – Nordic Centre (SANORD) is a non-profit, membership organisation of institutions of higher education and research, committed to advancing strategic and multilateral academic collaboration between institutions.

28 November - 1 December 2017 Elephant Hills, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Registration: + 263-9-286670, +263-9-284404 sanord2017@nust.ac.zw

# Q u o t e s 4 S u c c c e s s 1. If you are willing to do only what’s easy life will be hard, if you are willing to do what’s hard life will be easy - T Hav Ecker 2. When one door of happiness closes, another opens: but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us - Helen Keller 3. Believe in yourself! Have faith in your abilities! Without a humble but reasonable confidence in your own powers you cannot be successful or happy - Norman Vincent Peale 4. The capacity to trust is the greatest treasure of life because without it neither love is possible, nor prayer , trust that God speaks in the silence of the heart and listening is the beginning of prayer - Mother Theresa The real test is not whether you avoid this failure, because you won’t. It’s whether you let it harden or shame you into inaction, or whether you learn from it; whether you choose to persevere - Barack Obama

2. HEALING WITH HORSES OPEN DAY

On 30 November 2017 @Healing with Horses Therapeutic Centre, Byo. Time: 8.30 am for 9.00am Come join us for a joy filled morning to give thanks & to commend these amazing people who are a special part of the Healing With Horses family.

Purpose: Celebrating International Day for Persons with Disabilities (3rd December).

3. IPMZ ANNUAL CHRISTMAS BANQUET

On 7 December 2017 @Meikles Hotel – Harare Bookings - email: information @ipmz.co.zw Telephone: + 263 4 700712/20.

Directions to the venue on the map below.

Theme: Traditional : Dress code - African.

Platinum table: $180/person Gold table $140/person, Siver table $100/ person

Register and pay to attend upcoming events from the comfort of your office or mobile phone. Simply visit the NCS Events page online. www.ncslabour.co.zw/events

Nov 2017. LABOUR FORUM. Page 10

PROFILE

The success story of a ‘lean and mean’ strategy in a depressed economy.

B

arry Brice and Trudy Selman make their way to the bustling Belmont Industrial area every morning with one goal in mind, to ensure Kershelmar Dairies produces quality dairy products.

Brice is the companies’ Managing Director, whilst Selman is the Financial Manager.

Kershelmar Dairies is one of Matabeleland’s largest milk processing companies and produces 220 000 litres of milk and 80 000 litres of juices and dairy blends monthly.

A snap survey in the Matabeleland region revealed that Kershelmar Dairies is a preferred milk processor with more than 50% of milk producers supplying their products to the company.

Brice and Selman attributed Kershelmar’s market position and overall success to the support of the company by its shareholders and most importantly, its workforce of only 63 personnel.

“The economy is depressed and our strategy is to keep the company lean and mean in order to keep our heads above water, said Brice.”

Selman praised the company’s shareholders and directors for their “positivity and innovation which has resulted in the launch of new products that have kept the company open and jobs available.”

by Tam’sanqa Mhepoh

“...our strategy is to keep the company lean and mean in order to keep our heads above water...”

Labour Relations at Kershelmar.

Principal Labour Consultant at NCS Labour Relations and Training Consultants, Gladys Mpemba said the dairy stable which she has served for 14 years, most likely benefited from a harmonious relationship between management and staff.

Above: 6 flavours of fruit juices produced by Kershelmar: Below: Full cream milk, fresh cream and butter.

“I remember when Kershelmar had to lay off some of its labour force in order to remain viable, the workers committee were very supportive of the company and understood its plight,” Mpemba said.

“Kershelmar is one of the many companies whose Workers’ Committee was set up and trained by us (NCS Labour Consultants),” added Mpemba.

Selman said that NCS Labour Consultants had provided them with very good human resources management services.

“NCS has been very professional in handling our labour issues,” Selman said. “That is why we have retained them for so long.”

Below: Dairy blends in 4 flavours and Inkomaas sour milk.

Page 11. LABOUR FORUM. Nov 2017

FAQ S Welcome to the Frequently Asked Questions section or FAQ! In this section we hope to post brief Articles describing many of the issues that most frequently affect NCS clients. We will also include full manuals and information on trainings that we can provide on an as-needed basis.We have done our best to provide detailed information that you will likely need to use in your endeavour to achieve good relations with employees in your organisation. However, contact us for assistantance implementing the recommendations in this section. We will continue to develop this section as new questions and/or solutions arise. You may want to bookmark this page and check back whenever you run into problems.

W

hat are the functions, rights and powers of workers committees?

A Workers Committee is essentially a body established to represent employees at plant level, irrespective of the representation of employee interests by a union or different unions. It is a body through which management communicates and consults with representatives of employees who, in turn, communicate employee requests, problems and suggestions to management.

A Workers Committee may perform any function the employees or management wish it to perform. Effective Workers Committees will cover the whole range of employee interests.

Thus a Workers Committee may deal with wage rates, benefit schemes, training, work organisation, employee facilities, productivity, retrenchments, working hours, employee education grievances and discipline.

From its side, management will consult with the committee on any matter or plan which directly affects employees and will utilize the Workers Committee to disseminate information to employees or introduce changes at the workplace. A Workers Committee may raise employee demands but management’s acceptance of the demands will depend largely on the powers of persuasion and negotiation possessed by the representatives.

The Workers Committee has a right to be consulted by the employer in the Works Council and they should be provided with a reasonable opportunity to make representatives and advance alternative proposals before an employer implements any of the following:  The restructuring of the workplace, plant closures, mergers or transfers of ownership.

 Product development plans, job grading and training and education schemes.  The criteria for merit increases or payment of discretionary bonuses.  Implementation of employment codes and retrenchments.

The Workers Committee also has a right to recommend collective job action in accordance with section 104 (3).

The workers have the right to get assistance from a Labour Officer or trade union during the conduct of elections of a Workers Committee.

Enshrined in section 23 (2) (b), the Workers Committees have a right to be provided with reasonable facilities to communicate with each other and meet during and after working hours.

The Workers Committee should also enjoy their right to democracy in the workplace.

They should not be obstructed in the conduct of their business and should be protected from interference by the employer. The workers committee also has a right to represent employees on the Works Council, before a determining authority and before the Labour Court.

Section 16 of the Labour Act is very clear that unless employees’ services are lawfully terminated when a business is alienated or transferred in any way, the services of the employees shall be deemed transferred to the new owner.

If negotiations about terminating the services of the employees have not been finalized at the time the sale agreement is finalized, then the employees shall be automatically transferred to the new owner.

On transfer to a new owner, the employees should not be given a new contract of employment but rather written communication about the transfer and any additional benefits or variations agreed to by the employer and the affected employees. Any unfinished business in a transfer in relation to the employees is transferred along with the business to the new owner.

Refer: Agnes Nkomo & 8 Others vs. Rubber & Allied and Retrenchment Committee SC 14/2002.

Refer: (i) Sections 23 (2) (a) (b) (c), 25 A (5) (a-f) (ii) Hove vs. Zesa LC/H/78/2004 (iii) Makanyisa vs. Securitas (Pvt) Ltd LC/H/180/05 (iv) Cold Storage Workers Committee vs. Cold Storage Co Ltd 200 (1) ZLR 14.

W

hat are the legal requirements on transfer of a business?

You can ask NCS Labour Consultants a question using the contact form on the home page of our website.

Alternatively, head to our Facebook / Twitter account and send us a message directly. Better yet, you can ask your question using the form on this newsletter We will treat all issues and your identity with due confidence.

Let’s go...

send message

Nov 2017. LABOUR FORUM. Page 12

THE PULSE

Your Story Matters ...

At NCS Labour Relations and Training Consultants, clients are our number one priority. We are proud to work with some of Zimbabwe’s best known brands.

Have a look at some of the organisations we work with and hear what they have to say about our services.

M

orven Mine is a small to medium sized mine and has been a going concern for some 40 years. The majority of our labour was permanent, long service employees.

A few years back, due to the lack of production and escalating costs we found it necessary to retrench some of our employees.

We found that the information that we were being given was very confusing, along with the impossible task of trying to decipher the Labour Acts, with the addition of Bargaining Agreements and many other legal documents being thrown into the mix.

Also, the Unions, who can often be very intimidating to the employer who is not fully versed in the complete labour law system, were quite difficult to handle. This is when we first engaged NCS to facilitate the retrenchments on our behalf.

Once again, this year, we found ourselves in a similar if not worse position. We did not hesitate to contact Gladys Mpemba of NCS Labour Consultants. She dealt with all negotiations with the Workers Committee, the NEC officials, the Unions and all other interested parties, to facilitate the retrenchment of the whole of our labour compliment.

This was achieved with utmost integrity and efficiency.

On every occasion that we have dealt with NCS we have found Mrs Mpemba and Lucia to be most professional, and their knowledge on labour issues is vast.

They are pleasantly accommodating and have always been available to meet to discuss the smallest issues that may arise. It is a pleasure to deal with expert knowledge like this, on the very often, confusing intricacies of our labour laws.

It is our experience, that with the assistance of NCS, a fair outcome for both the employer and the employee is always the result.

- J.E. HARRIS t/a MORVEN MINE PROPRIETOR

If you haven’t put in good word for us, please head to our webiste www.ncslabour.co.zw and share your testimonial with everyone. It’s simple, once you land on our home page, scroll down to the bottom of the site and fill in the form there. We will share your testimonial on the Pulse page in our newssletter everymonth and also on our social media handle. @NCSLabour