Africa-Press – Lesotho. The factory workers lamented that they had been given a small increase in their wages, according to the promise they had been given. The increase was announced in the Gazette by the Ministry of Labor and Employment on June 16 this year, and shows that they have increased by 14%, not the 20% they had expected.
In an interview with Voice of the Nation NACTWU Deputy General Secretary (National Textile and Allied Workers Union) Mr Tsepang Makakole said they had heard the views of workers from various social media platforms, and expressed their dissatisfaction.
be satisfied. “Employees complain that the gazette is now out in June, they should know when they will be paid for the months of March, as it is the legal time for the gazette to be come out, ”Makakole said.
He also said that they would meet with the staff to fully understand their grievances and how they could continue to respond to their grievances. Hearing the views of one of the factory workers The Voice of the Nation spoke to the employee of the Presitex Ha-Thetsane factory Ms Mpolokeng Lehloenya who said she was not satisfied with the 14% increase.
“As one of the employees, I am not satisfied with the increase because last year we did not get a promotion, the expectation is that if we earn M2000 and now we will earn M3000 that amount is very small according to our needs, and that gazette indicates that the increase will start in July which is very unusual if the increase is actually done in early March, ”Lehloenya said.
Meanwhile, another Presitex employee, Mr Teboho Tlake, explained that the government was taking their issues lightly. “My question is whether the government is still compliant with the law as the gazette is here in July and not in March.
And this increase is very small, we will only see how over time it will happen, ”he said. Factory workers protested against the government last month, complaining about low wages and the 2021/2022 minimum wage gazette.
After promising to find a solution on July 16, the Minister of Employment and Labor, the Honorable Moses Leoma, issued a statement stating that; “This Gazette, in accordance with the provisions of the Act (Labor Code, 1992), section 51 (2) indicates that the publication of this gazette shall indicate the date after the gazette; or else, it is more likely to indicate the time before the law is issued.
” Mr. Leoma also said that this clause does not give him the power to authorize the gazette to start in the early stages of implementation.
“The government is sorry to note and hear complaints of dissatisfaction from some of the industrial unions. The unions continue to urge workers to withdraw from their jobs and to strike again.
In this case I would like to point out the following; I note the workers’ cry that last year there was no increase and that we were aware of the Covid-19 epidemic that caused this situation; pay attention to the cries of employers for jobs, especially in factories; I have tried my best to intervene between the two parties, while the workers had indicated that the minimum wage would be increased by 20% in factories, and the employers had shown that they could only afford 8.5%.
This is an indication that the increase is more in the workforce than in the employers; I conclude by advising employees to go to their jobs. I would like to remind them that pulling their hands gives employers the opportunity and their legal right to take disciplinary action against them; As for the instigators of the illegal protest, it is my responsibility to show them that they are breaking the law in terms of the Labor Laws Act (Section 231) and the police have the right to take appropriate action, ”Leoma said. he said this in a statement to the public yesterday.
