Harare — A strike is looming in the mining sector as workers and employers have failed to break the impasse over salary negotiations.

Mine Workers' Union of Zimbabwe president Mr Tinago Ruziwe said employers were yet to pay workers the second and third quarter salary increments awarded by an arbitrator.

"We cannot proceed to negotiate for the last quarter when we do not have a basis or starting point," he said.

Mr Ruziwe said workers had decided to go on strike as a way of expressing their disappointment at the conduct of their employers who are represented by the Chamber of Mines.

"Employers are not committed to the improvement of the workers' welfare and we have decided to down tools. Employers are making super profits from minerals on the international market especially gold mining companies," he said.

Mr Ruzive claimed that employers were not committed to improving the lives of workers adding that workers could not continue to be exploited.

"We have since written to members around the country updating them on the latest deadlock and we will decide on the actual date to start the massive job action," he said.

Mr Ruziwe said workers were now demanding a poverty datum line-based salary pegged at US$496.

However, employers were insisting on paying US$120, which they have failed to honour for six months.

"Workers got an arbitration award of US$120 for the third quarter but the Chamber of Mines, the employers representative body, is actually advocating a downward review of the US$120 to US$80," he said.

"Employers are yet to pay workers the arbitration awarded salaries for the second and third quarters. It seems we are dealing with unfaithful and unconcerned employers who prefer to handle things the radical way."

Mr Ruziwe said employers deliberately delayed salary negotiations because they did not have workers' interests at heart.

He called on the Government to intervene and help the workers.

"Workers are very much committed to improving the economy of their country but they definitely cannot do that on empty stomachs," he said.