AHL Group employees on Wednesday staged a vigil at their Limbe offices in Blantyre demanding payment of their September and October wages.
One of the employees, Kangati Kathewera, told The Daily Times that management had promised to settle their dues by Monday this week which was not fulfilled.
He said the development had angered the employees who have opted to proceed with industrial action until their salaries are settled in full.
“Management assured us that we would be paid within three days and that was Thursday last week. The three days elapsed on Monday and we gave them an extra day on Tuesday but nothing has happened. We will only call off the strike when we are paid,” Kathewera said.
AHL Group Public Relations Manager, Tereza Ndanga Chirwa, said management had learnt of a vigil that employees at Limbe Auction Floors were staging.
“We acknowledge the hardships that have led our employees to take this route. In our previous engagements with staff members, we had indicated that we would start paying salaries by Monday, on which day some employees indeed started receiving their salaries.
“The plan is to be able to pay all salary arrears in the next few days. Management would want to see this matter being resolved as soon as possible and the engagements with our financiers are being undertaken within that same understanding. Our employees have been patient and that is commendable,” Chirwa said.
Meanwhile, Alfred Nkhono has been appointed acting Chief Executive Officer, taking over the mantle from Evans Matabwa, who was was sent on leave from November 1, 2020 pending end of his contract on December 31.
