Africa-Press – Lesotho. Factory workers at Thetsane Industrial Area went on strike this week demanding salary increment following their long time outcry over unsatisfactory wages.
They were seen roaming outside the factories’ premises yesterday with members of the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) in the midst to eye and rebuke any possible disruptions.
In an interview with Informative Newspaper, United Textile Employees (UNITE) General Secretary Solong Senohe said workers have decided to abandon their work until this matter is attended
to. He said so far they have received reports that there are some workers who got injured during the strike. Senohe clarified that there are only three
factories – AMF Handicrafts Industrial Company, Tai-Yuan Lihaelo and Global Garments – that have paused operations as a demonstration of dissatisfaction
while some factories are continuing with their smooth operations. “I humbly make a plea to the government that it should pay attention and find ways of resolving grievances over factory
workers wages as there will be an escalating roar in the coming days. We are impatiently waiting for the conclusion that will be reached at the meeting of Wages Board with
the current Minister of Labour and Employment Hon. Moshe Leoma,” he said On the other hand, the National Clothing, Textile and Allied Workers Union (NACTWU) Deputy Secretary Tšepang Makakole said the
strike commenced on Tuesday with Global Garments where the core cause was a reduction made on their wages. “Factory workers should be given their satisfying wages as it is their right to be given an increment in their
wages,” he explained. Some factory workers who wanted to be granted anonymity revealed that they are demanding an increase of 20% on their wages regardless of the economy which has been hit by the advent of the Covid-19
pandemic. Also they indicated that their employers expressed that they can only afford them an increase of 3% which they declined. The factory workers demand
remunerations ranging from M2000 to M3500. “We were hoping to see an increase on our wages starting from the beginning of April but that did not happen, we have only been told that arrangements are underway.”
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