Collective Bargaining Agreement The Textile Manufacturing Industry

This further agreement for the Textile Manufacturing Industry, registered under the Labour Act and read as one with the principal agreement in S.I. 147 of 2018, records the outcome of voluntary arbitration on the industry's wage deadlock.

The arbitral tribunal awarded a minimum wage of US$184.00 a month, with the same percentage differential applying across all grades. The effective date of implementation is 1 February 2023 — well over a year before this instrument was gazetted, so the award is backdated and employers may face arrears.

Payment is split by currency. Every company in the industry must pay 45% of the minimum wage in United States dollars and the remaining 55% in ZWL, converted at the prevailing official exchange rate on the date of processing. The agreement states expressly that the official rate means the RBZ auction rate.

The wage table runs across sixteen levels. Level 1 is US$184.00 a month (US$82.80 in USD plus the ZWL equivalent of US$101.20), or US$42.46 a week. From there: level 2 US$195.66, level 3 US$207.32, level 4 US$218.98, level 5 US$230.81, level 6 US$242.66, level 7 US$254.49, level 8 US$266.33, level 9 US$279.76, level 10 US$293.18, level 11 US$306.61, level 12 US$320.03, level 13 US$340.67, level 14 US$361.31, level 15 US$381.96 and level 16 US$402.60. Each level is matched to a list of occupations — level 1 covers general workers, packers, pressers, folders and canteen servers; level 4 covers most machine operators; the upper levels run through skilled and supervisory work up to quality controller.

Three further rules. The tribunal dismissed the union's claim to separate housing and transport allowances from the basic minimum wage, so those remain inside the figure. Alternating-shift and 12-hour-shift workers get a premium of not less than 4% above the minimum for their occupation. Employees already paid above the minimum for their level keep their actual dollar difference, and employers may instead apply the increase to the individual's actual weekly or monthly basic earnings. Learners promoted internally keep at least their previous wage; learners hired from outside get at least the wage for the level immediately below the job being learned.

**A note on completeness.** The extract available for this summary ran out at the extraction limit part-way through the First Schedule contribution return form. Clause 2 states that the First, Second and Third Schedules are all amended, so the Second and Third Schedules — which typically carry the employment council dues and related forms — are not covered here and should be read in S.I. 79 of 2024 itself.