The Zambia Federation of Employers (ZFE) President George Chabwera has condemned the strike action taken by unionized workers at Konkola Copper Mine (KCM) on the Copperbelt province.
Dr.Chabwera said during a Press briefing in Lusaka, today, that the strike is unZambian as it alarms the nation.
He said reckless behavior by the miners should be discouraged at all costs because it scares away potential investors who want to invest in the country.
Dr Chabwera noted that Zambia desperately needs investment in order to create wealth and jobs for those completing their education.He said ZFE is concerned with the deteriorating industrial relations climate in the country adding that there is need to create good industrial relations to attract investment.
Commenting on the 38 KCM miners who were nabbed yesterday during the strike, Dr Chabwera said miners should not resort to destroying company or private property adding that the strike is illegal and those damaging property will be dealt with according to the law.
Dr Chabwera noted that instead of protesting, miners should have waited for their union leaders to complete negotiations in the remaining three months of the collective bargaining period.
He said workers should concentrate on work and desist from acts of violence as this will not help the country develop and that Zambians should graduate from mere mining to manufacturing using their minerals.
He said that Zambia may not reach the stage of locally using the minerals the country has in manufacturing things if the striking behavior continues. He has since called on the tripartite parties to negotiate freely in order to resolve the outstanding issues.
Unionized workers are demanding better conditions of services and 30% salary and wage increment among other things. The strike entered its fourth day today.
ZANIS
We know how these unions work in zambia,so the union leaders nababasubamo to issue a statement like this
Dr. Chabwera,are still board chairman of UTH?
Unions just dance to the tune of their masters. They don’t care about their members
Why is it that the fat cats are the only ones who enyoy, not fair.
Dr Chabwera, the comments are onesided. The miners were supposed to have their conditions adjusted in July 2009, postponed to 30 September 2009 todate nothing has happened. First condenm management and the unions ( MUZ & NUMAW) then ultimately theworkers, by doing that you’ll have completed the equation. Otherwise the criticism is heavily biased. The want to be heard after all dialogue has failes, is this not the only way govt and institutions in Zambia understand issues , better?
One should taste a day in the miners life in order to condemn such riots.. This Dr. Chabwera has never eaten chicken ‘pankongole’. When shimaini’s pay time comes in, it goes straight to pay the ‘nkongole chicken’ and you borrow another chicken for the next pay.. this is no joke…mwiseka… this is what happens…
Though i dont support the violent means that the miners used in trying to express their grievances i still feel there is a big issue at hand somewhere.From my experience miners for KCM dont just start raising unnecessary dust anyhow before numawu and Muz sets the table for negotiations.And MUZ and Numawu leaders are one of the well to do guys by zambian standards ,they drive posh cars,have big houses e.t.c which makes one wonder if the sitting allowance are such huge to accord them such opulence.
The comments are too dull and inspid to come from a DOC. Chabwera is behaving as if he is an emplyer rather than A protector of the poor miners? I am so stunned that he has gone flat out to condemn the miners only and yet his job is to speak on behalf of miners to theire mployers. How long shall miners wait for bagainings to end? Always goal posts are shifted and this Chapwara has no problem with that so long he is getting the contributions of miners. REALLY AKUTU.MPA UKU BEBA.
Chibwera kumu muzi does he know whatnhe is talking about. Those kulries are treating workers like slaves. How can they have a fellow kuri as corporate affairs manager? Does that c hap understand the culture of zambians. Seyuba was there but after setting up the who system they got rid of him. Those chaps came to rip off our resources. Better for old George concentrate on his Associated Fire Services than giving the sweating workers headaches.
I totally agree with #5.And people like Chambwera are causing these strikes. The collective agreement is long overdue. July would have been the month for a new collective agreement which was defered for another 3 months ending october. between 2005 and 2008 the copper price was so high but no mining company increase salary to its employees by more tha 15%. We dont want investment which does not benefit zambias especially people creating wealthy for the so called investors. i would rather have minerals remain untapped for future generation that give out for a song.