By Court Reporter

Grain Millers Employers Association of Zimbabwe (GMEAZ) yesterday filed an urgent chamber application for stay of registration of a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) pending an application for a declaratur at the High Court.

The chamber application challenges the collective barganing agreement that was negotiated by the Small to Medium Millers Association of Zimbabwe, Milling Industry Workers Union and National Employment Council for the food and Allied industries on March 22 and had been submitted to the Registrar of labour for registration without input or consultation with GMEAZ which represents the biggest membership of employers in the milling industry.

The collective bargaining agreement purportedly agreed on new wages and allowances for employees in the Milling sector

In GMEAZ founding affidavit it argues that the Small to Medium Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe’s(first respondent) membership has not been verified and is therefore not a competent and authorised Employers Association for the purposes of negotiating a collective bargaining agreement in the industry.

The second respondent (Milling Industry Workers Union) participated in the negotiations of the CBA representing the employees.

GMEAZ further asserts that the third respondent (National Employment Council for the Food and Allied lndustry) masked the negotiation processes from the applicant and the whole industry until they gave birth to the CBA which GMEAZ contents is an illegality.

However, in GMEAZ’s provisional order it seeks to stop the registration of the CBA by the fourth respondent (Registrar of Labour).

It also seeks to interdict the Small to Medium Grain Miller’s Association from continuing to negotiate on behalf of employers in the milling industry until the verification of its membership.