By Musa Mdluli

MATSAPHA: “Go home everyday” is a famous phrase in the textile and manufacturing industry, the phrase is normally uttered by Taiwan Chinese Managers when dismissing workers without any disciplinary hearing.

Workers rights and Labour Laws are violated with impunity as employees are fired without following the due process of the law while some are forced to work overtime without any payment.

Thembelihle Tsabedze, an employee of Wise & Presidents Garments was on Friday morning fired allegedly, by factory Manager Sabelo Mkhatjwa merely for refusing to work an overtime that “is allegedly not paid for by the textile company.

“I had reported to the Management that I can’t work overtime because I have a child, the Day Care closes at 6:30pm. But today(Friday morning) I was fired by Manager Sabelo Mkhatjwa,” she said.

When this Swaziland News tried to contact the Manager, his cellphone rang unanswered.

But this week,the Manager was contacted on a separate matter of forcing workers to work overtime without payment, he denied the allegations.

“We pay our employees overtime but if you are saying there’s a payslip reflecting that, some were not paid, they are free to approach my office so we can correct the mistake and pay”, said the Manager.

Wander Mkhonza, the Secretary General of the Amalgamated Trade Union of Swaziland(ATUSWA) said, it was wrong for the employer to dismiss the employee merely for refusing to work overtime because the reasons are valid.

“We read from this Swaziland News that, the same company is not paying employees their overtime and therefore, a woman with a minor child cannot work overtime because the Day Care costs normally escalate after hours. So you cannot force the woman to work and pay more money at the Day Care for extra hours while as the employer, you are not paying for the overtime. But even if the overtime is paid, a woman with a minor child must always be at home in time to cook for the child, wash clothes and ensure that the child is taken care-of while preparing to go to work the following day. It therefore unjust to dismiss her merely for refusing to work overtime”, said the ATUSWA Secretary General.

Mkhonza then urged the dismissed employee to visit the trade union offices for assistance.

“She must come to us, we will assist her”, he said.