31 March 2017
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH VIOLATE RIGHTS OF WORKERS.
The Roman Catholic church in Swaziland which amongst its principles is to respect work and the worker violates workers’ rights at will. Workers working at the St Juliana’s Conference and Accommodation center are treated like slaves and paid like slaves. Interestingly the conference center with the tagline “We Make You Feel at Home” wants its customers whom are mostly workers to feel at home when those that serve its customers serve them with a heavy heart.
Since August last year, the Amalgamated Trade Union of Swaziland (ATUSWA) has been fighting for recognition as workers’ representative until the matter was settled at CMAC on the 02nd of March 2017 after management of the institution was advised that there was no defense that would be good enough in their attempt to strangle the voice of the workers. The argument by the Center was that as a church they do not believe that their workers should join a trade union; how hypocritical and low can the church go. Despite having recognized the Union the Center refuse to allow meeting between union and the workers for purposes of reporting back and taking mandate, refuse to meet the union and refuse to deduct union subscriptions in favor of the union.
In response to the recognition of the union, workers were unprocedurally retrenched and some put on lay-off without following the due process and those that complained were threatened with dismissal. We just wonder how can anyone believe in protecting and preserving the rights of others and yet refuse others their basic right as human beings.
We however believe that this could not be a position of the church that we all look up to but it is individuals with twisted souls that will tarnish the good image of the church and we expect the church to clean itself unless its prepared to take the fall for a delinquent/s.
Signed by;
Wander Mkhonza
Secretary General
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