Science, Technology and Vocational Training Minister Peter Daka says Government will not allow indiscriminate termination of jobs and marginalisation of women based on gender by employers.
Mr Daka has also said that Government will not tolerate organisations that are in the tendency of employing expatriates for the jobs that can be done by Zambians.
Speaking in Mansa yesterday when he addressed workers during this year’s Labour Day celebrated under the theme ‘Creating Secure Employment with Employment, Equity and Human Dignity’, he said Government has put in place strategies and policies aimed at providing secure employment in line with the theme.
Mr Daka stated that Government will ensure that there is safe and dignified work for women employees, as this will guarantee that no female employee will be dismissed from work on the basis of being pregnant or child bearing.
He stated that for the first time in the history of this country Government has set minimum standards for this category of employees adding that under CAP 268 of the Industrial and Labour Act, it will ensure workers are from indiscriminate termination of employment.
On international firms that employ expatriates at the expense of Zambian professionals, Mr Daka said the MMD government under President Rupiah Banda is going to set restrictions on the job positions which should be taken by expatriates.
He said Government will only allow the positions of Chief Executive Officer and second position to go to expatriates, but middle management jobs will be reserved for Zambian professionals.
“This government will not allow companies to bring people from abroad to do jobs that Zambians can do. Zambia is renowned to be a resource centre, with people of good education background and qualifications to run these companies,” he said. “We will not allow companies to bring professionals from abroad. For the CEO and second position, yes, we can allow that but we will ensure certain positions must be given to Zambians,” Mr Daka said.
He underscored that Government appreciates that foreign investors bring economic development to the country, but observed that such investment must ensure that local manpower is utilised.
Speaking at the same occasion, Zambia Employers Federation representative Dr Chitalu Chilufya called for continued social dialogue between employers and employees as one better practice of curbing confrontational bargaining.
Dr Chitalu said the federation of employers will always endeavour to promote social dialogue among its affiliates because it is through this process that workers can meaningfully engage management.
He said that social dialogue has the potential of leading to creation of sustainable enterprises, a prerequisite of stable and secure employment.
He said unnecessary confrontational engagement can be avoided between employees and employers once social dialogue is appreciated as a continuous process and not just as a means of engagement during actual collective bargaining process.
He said this is because continuous social dialogue between employees and employers can help to cement good working relationship and create understanding of the business dynamics in an organisation.
Dr Chilufya said the federation of employers is also optimistic that the Sixth National Development Plan (SNDP) will deliver on Infrastructure development that will attract local and foreign investment thereby creating employment and contributing to meaning levels of poverty reduction.
At the same event, Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) Trustee Sifuniso Nyumbu said there is need for consistency and coherence in the promotion of decent work in the country.
Mr Sifuniso said decent work should not just be a matter of consistency, but of coherence by refocusing national development to make decent work a central policy objective.
He noted that ZCTU has identified a clique of unscrupulous employers who have taken advantage of the high unemployment levels to subject workers to cruel conditions knowing that workers are desperate for employment and will not complain.
He also said that some employers are being driven by greediness to scale down staffing levels in their companies and in the process subject a few workers to overwork.
Mr Sifuniso said this behaviour is inhuman and exploitative, adding that ZCTU and all stakeholders should not accept the practice to continue.
ZANIS
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MALE AND FEMALE CHEQUE BOUNCER?….HEHEHEHE
OR AN MMD CADRE WANTING TO DONATE A RUBBER CHEQUE BUT NOT CHARGED
GO TO HELL MMD
When did Peter DAKA become labour minister? He was just yapping things of his illusions, what control measures do u have to control expatriate workers do jobs that zambians can do? In MMD government , i see chinese drivers in construction sites even labourers picking roots behind a grader ..how do u control such…manje mwaona SATA is saying he wont allow such characters to come to Zed .VIVA SATA