THE Zimbabwe Diamond, Mineral and Allied Workers Union (ZDMAWU) says it is engaging medical and funeral aid institutions to assist workers who are not covered in case of ill-health or death.
In an interview yesterday, ZDMAWU secretary-general Justice Chinhema said the union had realised that most mine workers had no funeral or medical cover, while the majority was not contributing towards pension.
“We felt we need to go an extra mile towards bringing the necessary services to our members at very compressed rates. We are responding to what our members have been asking for a very long time.
“Old Mutual and First Mutual Life are the biggest insurance companies in Zimbabwe and have capacity to meet the demand from our members. We are just demonstrating that we are way far from those we compete with in worker representation,” he said.
Chinhema said mine workers needed to be taken care of while working to enable them to save for the future.
“This has come after long engagements and we believe the services are the best for our members and we shall improve them as we go,” he said.
“The ZDMAWU members get a better deal at work because we stand together bargaining with employers to improve salaries and wages, empowerment, conditions, and job security.”
The union also expressed its commitment to protecting mine workers’ safety, rights, wages, working and social conditions.
“We go the extra mile to tailor-make affordable insurance products to cater for our members and their families’ health, retirement and bereavement needs,” he said.