Get back to work,Uchumi staff told
Uchumi Supermarket at Makumbusho Bus terminal
What you need to know:
This is despite last week’s announcement that the debt-ridden Kenyan retailer had closed its business in Tanzania.
Dar es Salaam. Uchumi Supermarkets workers were yesterday directed to report for duty today.
This is despite last week’s announcement that the debt-ridden Kenyan retailer had closed its business in Tanzania.
Mr Yahya Mtoro, chairman of the Tanzania Union of Industrial and Commercial Workers (Tuico) at the Uchumi Quality Centre branch, said lawyers representing the firm’s management had advised workers to report for duty today in their official attire.
“We have been told that we should report for duty as usual because Uchumi shops in Tanzania have not been closed,” he said.
Mr Mtoro said the directive was issued on Friday during a meeting to resolve the dispute. However, the Uchumi management did not attend and was represented by two lawyers.
Mr Mtoro said last Wednesday’s announcement by Uchumi CEO Julius Kipng’etich that loss-making businesses in Tanzania and Uganda were being closed down had taken them by surprise.
“Another meeting has been planned for tomorrow when the management is expected to respond to our concerns,” he said.
According to him, there were some issues the advocates could not respond to and thus the presence of the management was crucial if the dispute was to be resolved amicably.
Mr Mtoro said workers were at a loss as to whether the shops had been closed or not, adding that there were also reports that the Tanzania business would soon be under a new management.
“We were assured that Uchumi supermarkets in Tanzania will not be closed. Instead, efforts will be made to address the crisis the subsidiary is currently facing,” he said.
Today’s meeting is expected to chart a clear way forward for the employees and shed light on their terminal benefits.
The meeting will include Tuico Dar es Salaam region, the management of Uchumi, representatives of workers and some officials from the ministry responsible for labour.
The dispute has entered into the second week with losers yet to know their fate. Suppliers put their debt to more than Sh3 billion, while workers wait their employment termination benefits.
