SHANDONG Dejian, a Chinese firm engaged by Maamba Collieries limited to install electrical pylons from Munzuma Zesco substation in Choma to the mine in Sinazonzwe District, has procured protective clothing units for its workers.
The company has also increased the workers salaries to K900 per month from about K700.
The workers, last week protested over lack of protective clothing and poor conditions of service prompting Choma District Commissioner Bernadette Hamweemba to summon company director William Teng.
Humphrey Kaumba told Ms Hamweemba who visited the construction site on Monday that the company management bought them required protective clothing.
“We are happy that after madam (Ms Hamweemba) you came last week when we protested, our company management has bought us proper protective clothing and we are working well,” he said.
He said, all the workers had been provided with protective clothing such as safety boots, helmets and grooves.
Mr Teng said his company would adhere to the Zambian stipulated labour laws and would ensure there was a conduvice working environment with its workers.
He said the company had increased the workers’ salaries to K900 adding that the strong bilateral ties between Zambia and China should flourish for the benefits of the two countries.
Ms Hamweemba said Government would not tolerate companies that abrogate labour laws by mistreating workers and underpaying them.
She urged employers to adhere to labour laws and that those found wanting would always face the law.
Ba LT, the headline is supposed to read, “Workers protest forces Chinese firm to increase salaries and buy protective clothing”
@ St Jude naiwe watoba it supposed to read“Workers protest forces Chinese firm to improve working conditions”
It doesnt have to take workers to protest for the employer to provide a safe work environment.
its a requirement in our labour laws and employers flouting this provision must be taken to task.
Our laws also provide for minimum wage
@moojo Naiwe wapwanya, it’s supposed to read “Workers’ protest forces Chinese firm to improve working conditions”
GRAMMAR IN ALL ZAMBIAN NEWSPAPERS LEAVE MUCH TO BE DESIRED. THIS IS APART FROM OTHER NUMEROUS DEFICIENCIES.
that’s good workers demand what’s your, it’s good to be proactive
than waiting for unions and government which can take long before
you know someone is killed due to lack of safety equipment.
In this day and age….these things should be standard
keep pushing those chocholis…K700 is still not enough..
K900 for a family man? awe mwandi ba China imwe,how much were they getting before?
family man with a grade three certificate
And how much is the “family man with a grade three certificate” labor worthy? Just because someone is a “grade three” doesn’t mean they do NOT deserve to be fairly compensated for their labor. Whether done by people with grade three certificates or college graduates; LABOR IS WORTH A LOT OF MONEY ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD AND A MAJOR/IMPORTANT ITEM ON ANY COMPANY/CORPORATION EXPENSE ACCOUNT!
So keep the cr@p to yourself if you have nothing ‘mature’ to say, and stop passing degrading remarks at hardworking people earning an honest living through their labor. Wechinangwa iwe!!!
Those Chinese are disobeying a presidential order. The minimum wage was raised to K1000 a long time ago. Wapitikisheni maChinese awo. Nimfwiti zabanthu, kulipila wanthu ndalama za manyozo so. Iyayi, takanai nzelu za umabala izo.
I meant to say ‘umambala’