Zambia: Govt won’t protect unruly workers
Sacked Chambeshi Smelter Copper Mine workers will not be protected because they did not follow procedure in airing their grievances.
Copperbelt Permanent Secretary, Jennifer Musonda said the workers at Chambeshi Smelter should blame themselves for the action taken by management to dismiss them.
Mrs. Musonda said the government will not protect unruly behaviour by workers especially where they over look dialogue and grievance procedures.
She told ZNBC news that the behaviour of the workers was uncalled for in a country which is in a hurry to develop.
Mrs. Musonda said it was wrong for the workers to resort to violence when management was ready to meet with their union leaders.
The Permanent Secretary said the workers might have genuine complaints but the course of action, they took was counter productive and should not be supported.
She said police will remain at the plant to provide security while the Chinese nationals continue with construction work at the plant.
Chambeshi Copper Smelter dismissed all the 500 unionised employees who went on strike recently over poor conditions of service.
The Zambian workers also fought with their Chinese workmates.
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Am not surprised that Government has decided not to support our fellow workers. Of course its a known fact that utu machoncholi (Chinese bastards) have been made indispensable. In any case when did chuchu’s government ever support the plight of the Zambian worker. Thats why the entire MMD leadership will not be voted into power come 2011. The asses think twalisekelamo. Its not far. You remember FTJ and his crew? The same will happen very soon.
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They never really care about us!
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Just as much as the workers at Chambeshi Copper mine were in the wrong to have resolved to violence to fight for their cause, the Govt too is to blame for laxity behaviour of wait and see. We need pro humanity laws at place of work.
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”Chaona mzako chapita mmawa chilipa iwe” ba PS!!! Remember you are awaiting judgement as a nation!
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While i condemn the violence i think govt shud not rush issuing such unproductive statements.Ba pusika ma investors.All citizens need to be protected by thr govt.
Whr r our pipo goin to go to if they have such a lousy Govt?
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Iam really disapointed with the poverty dicision suppoted by our so called “minister”. Us Zambian citizen we need people who can really protect us. instead of suporting the so called investors, who are just interested in making profit without considering the plight of their workers. she was suppose to investigate the issue at hand in details.
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no! government is right, the workers were educated enuff to join a trade union it should not be a surprise to learn that government wont support them because they were clever enough to start violence……….. imwe ba no.6 ba peggie disappointed? … these workers balekonka ama shilu
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#5 Peggie, your inability to understand the issue at hand is surprising. The workers beat up thier employers and they have been sack. What is there for govt to investigate? What support for the investor are you talkin about?The govt cant force the chinese to take the workers back! I dont know of any employer who you can beat up today and tomorrow welcomes you with a smile. We are all zambians and we want to see our people take home good salaries and be treated with respect but you see what is wrong is wrong. What the workers did was wrong and can not be justified.
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I meant #6 sorry #5.
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What do you expect from a government that under pays it’s own workers? Negotiations of intimidation don’t work. the miners are simply requesting for a decent wage..period?
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MMD IS A CHINESE MADE…NO WONDER THEY ZAMBIANS NEED TO GET RIDE OF THEM ALL IN 2011
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No. 10…… iye ba Mob Justice after mwalusa on the other zambia-chinese blogs nomba mwankonka napa….lol……. i have embarrassed you enuff no need to even question your misplaced wisdom on conditions of service, as regards govt workers they say ubomba mwibala alila mwibala…… i’m out i surrender na zala no more!!!!!
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No problem. Then, in return, us the Zambian people will also stop supporting Copperbelt Permanent Secretary, Jennifer Musonda and her MMD government. Simple. They will have to go to Shanghai and fly in Chinese voters in 2011. But then the constitution, old or new, will not allow them to do that. Kuya bebele!
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This violence is simply another undesirable expression of the tension that has always been there between Chinese investors and perceptions of the general population, festered mainly by politicians. All politicians should take responsibility, ruling and opposition. Another tension is building up in the Indian sector of investors. Is it an Asian thing – or is it a Zambian thing??
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No.11 ah ba Mule apapene ifintu nabena bruce lee fya pena imwe ati MMD is Chinese made obvious ba guy namumfwa insala because u got sacked at CCS, abobene ati pabwato are the cause of this
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moderate….! i did not even read your responses on the chinese-zambia blog? I will now check them out and respond appropriately.
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Ba Moderate..! how many alias do you use on lusaka times? You did not post anything under this name? i can now see that we have totally different motives for blogging….? personal attacks is not part of my agenda.
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No.17 my bad Mob J i use different computers at different places at home i use moderate at work i use comeagain entirely my fault i took it for granted
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strike or violence is the only language understood by government. take for instance the issue of Zesco having loadsheding time in favour of the uppermwambas which is unfair Zambians are quietly complaining but of course a day shall come when we shall raise together like an engle and this wont be any nice. i guess violence is the language best heard.
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Ba PS suwa u dont support the zambian workers now we know our Government is not suppoerting us as workers please learn to investigate before you talk. this ps must be dropped where are Dr LPM drop this **** mani.
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What is this stinking nonsence from the Hopeless PS.
The GRZ shud not protect stuptd investors also.
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The mother is saying she wont protect the children. she is failling to protect her pregnance, she can abort at any any change of situation or weather. Poor mother how do you fail to protect your own when robbers have entered you home
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Not surprised that the grz is not looking after workers. This regime only professes to be interested in the well-being of Zambians on at elections time.
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If the GRZ is not interested in looking after workers, why should these same workers pay tax to a regime that does not care for their well-being? I suggest a dawn of voluntary tax until the grz grows up in its mentality towards the greta majority of our poor people.
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