Political activist Dante Saunders has charged that unions in the country are toothless and that threats by the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions to organize mass demonstrations over the wage freeze will go nowhere.
Mr. Saunders says if the unions were serious about their threats they would have simply gone ahead with their demonstration without informing the government.
He adds that even if the unions were to succeed in their push for the wage freeze to be lifted and workers awarded a pay rise, it will be the politicians who will get the bigger chunk of the increments.
Mr. Saunders says this is evident from what has happened in the past were constitutional office holders have benefited more from increments in the public service.
He says this is why he personally believes that some politicians are actually hiding behind the trade unions to push for their own agenda to have a pay rise.
Mr Saunders says this is especially that Parliamentarians themselves have indicated that they want a pay rise.
Dante Saunders is getting too much media coverage for my liking
Thanks
Austerity measures are necessary to advance the country. Even your colonial master, Great Britain, whose blue print you still operate from has them. Suck it !
Same with you Mushota,you comment on everything. Just met to advise you that don’t condemn others for the same things you do.
I think Saunders is right. Why seek permission from the Police who are equally affected by the same wage freeze?
South Africans are better at this ,not us. No wonder Chikwanda said he does not expect much noise from the Unions ,they will easily be kept quiet.
They are toothless.
Its high time we stopped them from getting our contributions because from the look of things, its the government which increases the salary when it feels like.Even without the Unions ,government can determine an increment.
We Don’t need unionism anymore.
police r not toothless but rather too selfish that when there r given brown envelops the all remain mute.
believe u me, the govt knows this and all the ll do is jst shut them up with brown envelops.
MAYBE DIALOGUE IS BETTER AT THIS STAGE. BECAUSE HON. CHIKWANDA RAISED AN IMPORTANT POINT. IF WE ARE SPENDING 75% OF OUR NATIONAL EARNING ON WAGE BILL THEN THE INCREMENTS ARE NOT SUSTAINABLE. THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD JUST FIND BETTER WAYS OF MAKING OUR LIVES COMFORTABLE EVEN WITH OUR CURRENT SALARIES. MASS DEMOS WILL NOT WORK. IF ANYTHING THEY WILL BE SHUNNED AND WILL BE A FLOP. THEN HIKAUMBA WILL BE FORCED TO GO BACK TO THE GOVERNMENT FOR DIALOGUE WITH HIS TAIL BETWEEN HIS LEGS. AT THAT TIME THE GOVERNMENT WILL BE CALLING THE SHOTS. SO A BIT OF REASONING AND TACT IS BETTER AND ADVISABLE.
Nurses can’t even try. They were not supported. What next after demo. Withdrawing labour is the best. But noone wants to take the risk