Times Of Swaziland: ABUSE IN THE WORKPLACE

ABUSE IN THE WORKPLACE
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The Editor on 26/06/2018 03:36:00


Sir,
Thank you for allowing me space in your newspaper to voice out my concern
regarding the abuse in the workplace in this country. It is obvious that we all
want money in order to survive but it sad that most employees in different
organisations go through a lot of challenges including abuse which gives them so
much stress.
We have workers in the textile industry, they claim to be working just like many
of us but they cannot even to buy proper clothes for themselves or sustain the
livelihoods of their families.
These people have to pay rent, buy food and pay for the transport of their
children to school yet it is also hard to cope with the ever increasing prices
of commodities and services.
Besides earning poor salaries, there are hundreds of employees who are harassed
and victimised at work but they are forced to endure the pain and not bother to
report because they fear that they would be victimised and further lose their
jobs. Employees in most organization do not have the confidence to tell it like
it is without fear and this is bad.
When will we ever have a workforce that will be confident enough to report every
kind of abuse without fearing that someone will victimize them?
The sad part is that some of them even fear to open up to their own colleagues
because it could put them in trouble.
Yes there are instances where colleagues, instead of assisting them sell them
and tell the bosses.
Employers need to understand that whenever an employee is victimized or feels
some sort of abuse, they can no longer work effectively since they lose the
motivation to work hard.
Such then affects their productivity and even if you take them to 20
disciplinary cases, it will not work until the act of abuse is dealt with.
Having said that, I understand that for the labour agencies and consultants to
assist, there is a need to provide proof or substantiate the claims something
which is difficult.
This is why most employers get away with it just like that.
For how long should workers be abused financially and physically?
Government needs to review the strategies and policies that are there to deal
with issues of employees in any field. Government needs to be fully aware of the
challenges that workers go through and it can achieve this by having more
surveys done.
Time and again, even if it is twice year, officers should be deployed in
companies and government departments to interview employees on how they are
treated.
Yes, this would need resources but it can be done. When you read some of the
standards set by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) you ask yourself if
they practically apply in Eswatini or are just mentioned during workshops and
conferences alone.
The truth is that there is a lot of abuse in the workplace and something should
be done.
Concerned Swazi