A growing labour dispute at retail giant TM Supermarkets has triggered fresh scrutiny of the company’s internal practices, with new findings pointing to what workers and unions describe as a troubling culture of intimidation, unlawful deductions, and disregard for labour rights.
The controversy erupted after Crime Watch Zimbabwe highlighted the alleged unfair dismissal of workers at TM’s Aspindale branch on social media. While the initial post cited 12 affected employees, investigations by the media have established that at least 14 workers were dismissed, allegedly on flimsy and unsubstantiated grounds.
The dismissed workers, now represented by the Progressive Retail and Wholesale Workers Union of Zimbabwe (PRWWUZ), have since approached the courts seeking redress. Union officials argue that the terminations form part of a broader pattern of victimisation targeting workers who assert their rights or align with recognised labour bodies.
Beyond the dismissals, court documents seen by this publication reveal that TM Supermarkets is also embroiled in a separate legal dispute involving the alleged double deduction of union dues. According to the filings, the retailer is accused of deducting subscriptions for two unions from workers’ salaries, despite employees being affiliated to only one recognised union, PRWWUZ.
“Our clients advise that the employer has been making double union deductions for quite some time,” reads part of the court record. “The respondent has been deducting further union dues in favour of an unnamed union without the consent or authority of our clients, resulting in financial prejudice to the workers.”
The double deduction case reportedly affects 225 employees, raising concerns about the scale of the alleged malpractice and the adequacy of internal oversight at the company.
TM’s human resources department is also accused of interfering in workers’ committee elections, a move unions say undermines workplace democracy and violates labour regulations.
In a strongly worded statement, PRWWUZ General Secretary Phillip Mafundu condemned TM Supermarkets for what he termed “an escalating pattern of unfair labour practices,” warning that the situation had reached alarming levels.
“We are managing numerous cases that portray a corporate entity operating with a severe disregard for employee rights,” said Mafundu. “The conduct of TM in labour relations increasingly resembles that of a quasi-military camp rather than a leading national retailer.”
PRWWUZ has vowed to exhaust all legal remedies to protect its members and compel compliance with Zimbabwe’s labour laws. The union has called on TM Pick n Pay to halt the alleged abuses and engage meaningfully with recognised workers’ representatives.
Meanwhile, this publication is in possession of a petition authored by TM Supermarkets Workers’ Committee National Chairperson Diamond Dera, appealing to the Ministry of Labour to intervene and address what he describes as “numerous and persistent labour malpractices” within the company.
Efforts to obtain a response from TM Human Resource Manager Josiah Chigwedere were unsuccessful, as his phone went unanswered at the time of publication.
As the matter heads to the courts and draws the attention of labour authorities, workers and unions alike say the outcome will test whether corporate giants can be held accountable to the same labour standards they publicly espouse.
