Dinson Colliery loses unfair dismissal appeal

The High Court upheld a US$12,820 unfair dismissal award against Dinson Colliery, dismissing the Chinese-owned mine's appeal and affirming the Magistrates Court's summary judgment. In the July 30 ruling, Justices Mutevedzi and Ndlovu also clarified the binding authority of the National Employment Council's decisions, closing a loophole employers had exploited to avoid sector-wide wage standards. The ruling tightens the legal screws on employers who thought they could bypass labor regulations by litigating internal procedural points.