Tanzania Railway Ltd (TRL)
Angered by government and TRL management failure to response to their long-term demands, TRL workers have vowed to stage an historical strike which is likely to paralyze operations of railway transport services in the country.
According to our investigations, leaders of Tanzania Railway Workers Union (TRAWU)-TRL branch yesterday lodged their concern at the Commission for Mediation and Arbitration after a ‘failed negotiation’ between TRL management and TRAWU leadership.
In the course of a two-day (July 18-19) extensive negotiation, both sides could not agreed on key issues such as salary raise and other monthly packages, Shehe Shughuli Chairman of TRAWU-Dar es Salaam Zone told The Guardian in an exclusive interview yesterday.
“In other words I would say we agreed to disagree…that’s why we decided to forward our grievances to the Commission for Mediation and Arbitration to help mediate our negotiations,” clarified Shughuli.
According to Shughuli, the law mandates the mediation commission to call both sides (TRAWU leaders and TRL management) for negotiation and lead the discussions until they reach a mutual agreement in a span of one month.
“If the Commission fails (within a specified timeframe) to help conflicting parties agree on basic issues, particularly on pay raise, TRL workers will go on strike,” noted Shughuli.
At the centre of the entire story is a huge salary gap between TRL workers and their colleagues in the railway subsector Reli Assets Holding Company (Rahaco), TAZARA etc.
“We are working under the same subsector but our colleagues in railway units are highly paid than us…how does that add up?,” said one worker on condition of anonymity.
An independent comparative analysis by workers, minimum wage for TRL employees currently stands at 200, 000, very far below their counterparts at Rahaco who get between 400, 000 and 500, 000/-, and Tazara’s receiving over 350, 000/- monthly which keeps on increasing, according to TRAWU-Dar es Salaam zonal chairman.
“And this has been a trend for many years…. Yet the government is quite, TRL is also quite. Nobody is bothered by our plight and long-outcry. What should we do under such circumstances,” said one worker on condition of anonymity.
It seems workers are serious this time around, vowing to organize a national strike if the TRL management will not abandon the current ‘discriminatory salary-structure’ and replace it with a fair and universal pay mode which gives equal benefits to all employees in the railway subsector.
Transport Minister, Dr. Harrison Mwakyembe could not be reached yesterday as his mobile phone was switched off, but his deputy, Dr. Charles Tizeba speaking from a hospital bed, said, “comparing salary scales is not logical…you cannot say because they are paid this much, we also want to be paid this much.”
“I am sick at the moment…I am admitted in an extensive care unit, but what I can briefly say is that problems of public servants are many but we are trying to solve them,” said Tizeba in a low-tone.
When contacted for comments, TRL Managing Director, Eng Amani Kisimfu said in a brief mobile message (SMS) “I am in a meeting.” Efforts to get more details from the MD on the matter could not bear fruits yesterday.
The impeding strike threat comes as the government struggles to come up with practical alternatives to lift TRL out of the prolonged crisis—administrative and financial constraints, inadequate expertise, facilities, poor infrastructures etc.
SOURCE:
THE GUARDIAN
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