Friday, March 29, 2024

MMD caused mines industrial unrest-Mines Minister

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Lunshya Copper Mines (LCM)

MINISTER of Mines and Natural Resources, Wylbur Simuusa, has blamed MMD for the industrial unrest across the country, especially in mining firms, saying the now opposition party did not have the interest of workers’ rights when it was in Government.

Mr Simuusa said this in Parliament yesterday when he presented a ministerial statement on the industrial unrest and termination of employment for workers at the Chinese-owned Chambishi Copper (NFCA) mines on the Copperbelt.

“The work stoppages that we are experiencing in the country are an indication that conditions of service for workers in the previous government were not adequately addressed,” he said.

And Mr Simuusa said the PF government has not compelled any company to hike salaries for employees or improve conditions of service for workers.

He was responding to Kasempa member of Parliament Kabinga Pande (MMD), who wanted to know whether an agreement was reached between management and union to award employees K2 million across the board after being pressured to do so by Government.

“It is the duty of my government to ensure that workers’ rights and interests are upheld, and ensure that any negotiation held between the two parties are conducted in a peaceful environment,” he said.

Mr Simuusa said the K2 million salary hike was agreed upon between management and employees after it was established that there was a discrepancy of the same amount in the manner other mines were paying their employees.

“This agreement was reached after taking into account existing salary disparities of about K2 million between the Konkola Copper Mines and NFCA employees.
“The role of government in the negotiations was merely to ensure that the workers’ complaints were addressed in a peaceful manner and avoid work stoppages as they lead to loss of income,” he said.

Mr Simuusa said government would work with investors as partners in development as long as they abide by the law and contribute to the development.

About 2000 workers at Chambishi mine, owned by the NFC mining, went on strike on October 4, 2011 to press for higher wages. Management dismissed them but later reinstated everyone on October 22, 2011 after resolving the differences with government.

Mr Simuusa assured the house that salary negotiations between the two parties will soon resume and will be conducted in a conducive environment.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

27 COMMENTS

  1. If the previous government did not have workers’ interest then why have the stoppages now? PF you over promised and the electorate is expecting a lot from you. The clock is ticking, get on with the job.

  2. It’s nice to know the PF put the welfare of the people first. I guess the people did not complain under MMD because the miners would have won. N the miners would have been fired. They know PF will protect them shame ba MMD

  3. It’s nice to know the PF put the welfare of the people first. I guess the people did not complain under MMD because “the mine owners” would have won. N the miners would have been fired. They know PF will protect them shame ba MMD
    Reply

  4. Simuusa says——“K2 million salary hike was agreed upon between management and employees” In another paragraph the same Simuusa assured the house that ——“salary negotiations between the two parties will soon resume and will be conducted in a conducive environment. Was the K2 million effected? and are the next nogotiations meant for another hike?

    • The K2 million is there. It is not effected, I have my nephew who works for the same company. There is nothing like K2 million increament.

  5. please ba minister don’t be naughty!
    first of all you are contradicting yourself, you blame MMD for the problems yet the real problem is that you have been blaming them all along and when you won people expected better from you!
    second, you say gov’t can’t interfere, but again how were u expecting MMD to interfere??
    THE FAULT IS YOURS, PEOPLE WERE EXCITED FOR CHANGE WHICH YOU PROMISED AND SAID WITHIN 90DAYS MINES WILL PAY BETTER, DELIVER ON YOUR PROMISE AND STOP PLACING AND MISPLACING BLAME!

    OTHERWISE AS AKON SAYS, YOU CAN PUT THE BLAME ON ME

  6. How can a minister be so stupld?!  If the K2m was agreed to, why were 1,000 workers fired by NFCA for continued striking?  Who is Simuusa fooling?  The strikes are happening on his watch; pipo want what they were promised by PF without consulting employers.  It is not MMD that did the promising.

  7. You are right ZED. The PF promised quite a lot during their campaign and this is the reason why they swept the copperbelt with almost 100% vote. MMD is no longer in power and blaming them all the time without offering solutions will just injure people’s feelings especially after raising their hopes. They are in the Drivers seat and should just concentrate because the road they are driving on is bumpy and dangerous.

  8. Wether the PF govt fulfills their promises or not am not leaving the boart, “mubwato emotuji”
    Just continue to break plates in those restruants in the diaspora

    • PF Supporter you are a foolish cadre.You dont seem to know why you are in the boat in the first place.I hope you are not Sata’s relative.I dont think we’ll wait for 2016 if your corrupt bululu Sata fails to deliver on his promises.DONT KUBEMBWA!!!!!!

  9. Well, it was Sata Zondwe who promised that he will squeeze the Chinese mine owners to pay more. Now people are engaging in wildcat work stopages and Simusa is spooked, ubupuba be Wilber kwena bwacila mo! Buloshwe mang’i, apuu!!!

  10. Reality is dawning on drunk PF.Now am told the much talked about windfall tax will not be mentioned in the Budget.Talk is cheap for sure.

  11. No, no, no. That’s too much political spin.

    PF raised people’s expectations during the elections and again about three days after taking office by saying wages must be revised “immediately”. Ok, there is a legacy of low wages to overcome that MMD can rightly be blamed for, but PF is now in power so must start to take responsibility for its own actions including pronouncements on wage increases when not all the details had been thought through.

    • Iwe mambala,chi Sata himself talked about 90 days.Who put those words in his mouth?Why should we give them ample time?The clock is ticking.

  12. MMD had no hand in this, PF created the mess. Its time to face reality Wilbur. Windfall Tax introduction should be immediate!!

  13. Come on Simuusa your fellow minister Mbulu rushed to the press to announce salary increment for NFCA employees to the tune of K2m, in short he incited those employees but today you are blaming the MMD for the mess you have created. Get to work now coz we need results and not press conferences.

  14. DONT KUBEMBWA WILALILALILA SHIIIIIIIIIIII……….DONT KUBEMBWA WILALILALILA SHIIIIIIIII……PF-PA FYAMBA.BA SIMUUSA,DONT KUBEMBWA!!!!

  15. #5 Pa Zed , PF singing the MMD song 
    For everything will be their downfall
    Ppl will soon catch on this bad strategy
    Of blaming to compensate for their inability
    To fulfill all their promises

  16. Diarrhoea of the mouth is very bad ba PF please go back and explain to the people the real situation on the ground people are waiting for you to do that they want the re ward you promised them for their vote it is time to deliver. I thought you had a master plan at first I was impressed “90 days” indeed

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