The Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has advised government to proceed cautiously in the partial privatization of the Zambia Telecommunications Company (ZAMTEL).
ZCTU president Leonard Hikaumba says caution should be taken to ensure that the exercise is to the satisfaction of all stakeholders.
Mr. Hikaumba said there was need for capital injection into the firm for the company to meet the current demands of the industry.
He further said any investor in ZAMTEL should ensure that conditions of service are respected in accordance with the obtaining labour laws.
Mr. Hikaumba was speaking during a National Union of Communications workers workshop on the partial privatization of ZAMTEL.
Speaking earlier, National Union of Communication Workers (NUCW) president Patrick Kaonga disclosed that for the past four years ZAMTEL employees have not had a salary increment.
Mr. Kaonga said workers have been working under very difficult conditions. He said with the many problems ZAMTEL was going through, there was need for government to respond with a sense of urgency.
He said it was therefore important to look into the plight of the employees before the partial privatization process is in motion.
And Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation Acting Director General Juliana Mwila commended ZAMTEL for taking a bold step to formally inform unions and employees of the status of the company.
Ms Mwila said it is important to have an insight into the challenges the company was currently facing, especially a true picture of the financial status of the company.
She has since said that there is need to be fair when it comes to the worker’s plight while appreciating the financial status of the company.
ZANIS
If all parastatal companies are failing, it is a clear indication that the government is the biggest failure! IT is simply that if they can not run well-positioned companies like Zamtel then they are just rooting the public institutions messlessly???.
Infact the biddest failure is the presido himself, because he is the managing director of the country. So if you notice failure in everything, just know that the entrire country if bound to fail??
Zambia needs to transfrom. While politician argue that they are doing fine and working hard, everything in the country just keeps on going down. Can people really believe these politicians. Kaunda should also come in the open and state his position on the current leadership. He used to condemn the previous and we expect him to do so. Is he really happy with the person he supported during the last election??
Why not privatize the nation as well since the government can’t run it properly and every time its GRZ doesn’t have cash. Bring the Britons back and see from them what it means to run the nation. Surely its not they way they left it.
i simply cant believe the union is going along with this. What guarantee is there that workers rights will be protected by the new investors. We have been down this road and i cant believe our unions dont learn. The best way to protect employees is being refusing the whole idea of selling Zamtel. If workers refuse to be a part of the sale they will be no Zamtel. Im amazed at how Zambian workers and unions sale themselves cheap. The workers have so much power they can force Govt to abandon this idea
I THINK ZAMTEL IS THE ONLY TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY IN THE WORLD RUNNING AT A LOSS. ALL CELLULAR SERVICE PROVIDERS ARE MINTING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS EXCEPT OUR ZAMTEL.
Since when did this government proceed caautiously on anything? Which planet have you been living on?
“If the only tool you have is the hammer,everything else looks like a nail” This saying applies to our selfish and corrupt government leaders.Why is the government resorting to privatization of zamtel,is there no better way to develop zamtel besides privatisation?Look how things have worsened since the privatisation of ZCCM?Please mwebuteko think twice!
Just let the GRZ pay all debts owed to this company and it will start running, they should also ensure that they don’t accumulate any more debts again but pay up for all services am sure those are the liabilities which where talked about.