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Mulli Brothers workers close company premises over pay

Confirmed on Monday that the workers were yet to get their accrued salaries: Mulli
Confirmed on Monday that the workers were yet to get their accrued salaries: Mulli

Over 150 employees of Mulli Brothers Limited (MBL) have indefinitely “closed” one of the conglomerate’s subsidiaries, Smallholder Tea Company (Steco) in Mulanje, due to failure to pay them salaries.

The disgruntled workers on Monday stormed Mulanje District Labour Office to advise the office about their intention after communicating the same to their human resources manager Martin Chikoya.

Speaking in an interview at the labour office, chairperson of the workers, Goodson Sakwata, said they had closed operations of the company until their grievances are sorted out.

The workers have not been receiving their salaries and wages since 2012 due to what MBL says is as a result of loss of business and government’s failure to pay the money it owes the company.

Sakwata explained that they had agreed that nobody should go back to the company to do anything and would not allow management to recruit people to work at the company.

“Right now only guards have remained there to protect property. There are also armed police officers who have been engaged by management to instil fear in us. But we are not relenting,” said Sakwata.

Mulanje district labour officer Gideon Mothisa confirmed the development yesterday, saying the angry workers marched to his office because of the mediation which he had played since 2012.

Mothisa said he had tried everything possible to assist the workers by engaging MBL management but to no avail.

“This issue has dragged since 2012. The workers even tried to get solace from the Industrial Relations Court, but there is no direction. I have briefed the labour commissioner, the principal secretary and just last week I briefed the minister of labour [Henry Mussa],” explained Mothisa.

Mulli Brothers Limited managing director Leston Ted Mulli confirmed on Monday that the workers were yet to get their accrued salaries, but was quick to mention that the company was working on the matter.

He said the workers had taken time to be paid because his companies had been sailing through deep financial woes following the previous government’s (Joyce Banda administration) grip on businesses.

“We are currently working on the issue. It has taken long because as you are aware the previous administration squeezed us by deliberately not honouring the money it owed us and also issuing a directive to all government units not to give us business and those effects are still haunting us, but we will pay them soon,” said Mulli.

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