The Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) says the announcement of the revised minimum wage by labor minister Fackson Shamenda is surprising because they were made outside the tripartite arrangement.
ZCTU secretary general Roy Mwaba has said that ZCTU is surprised as to why the minister went ahead to make the announcement despite the last tripartite meeting agreeing to partner and come up with technical committee to come up with recommendations to government.
Mr. Mwaba told QFM that the revision of the minimum wage is long over-due but stated that it is not the basis of the minister to go ahead and work against what was agreed as a tripartite.
However, Mr Fackson Shamenda said that Government consulted extensively before implementing the new minimum wage and conditions of employment for domestic, shop keepers and general workers.
Mr Shamenda said in Kitwe yesterday that Government and other stakeholders had conclusively discussed the matter, hence the new wages and conditions of employment being announced on Wednesday this week.
The minister was reacting to Zambia Federation of Employers (ZFE) president, Alfred Masupha, who on Wednesday claimed that Government’s decision was arbitrary.
Mr Masupha was quoted as saying that ZFE believed a sector based minimum wage could have been more appropriate to protect investment from collapse.
But Mr Shamenda said implementing the new legislation on sector basis was not tenable because the arrangement was complicated.
Mr Shamenda urged all stakeholders to be honest, maintaining that there was input from tripartite partners.
“That is my idea, so Mr Masupha should not come out like he is the one who initiated it. We looked at industry by industry process. It is complicated,” Mr Shamenda said.
He said a meeting was called at which all submissions were made and therefore saw no reason why Mr Masupha was against the upward revision.
[pullquote]“That is my idea, so Mr Masupha should not come out like he is the one who initiated it. We looked at industry by industry process. It is complicated,” Mr Shamenda said.[/pullquote]
Mr Shamenda, who was speaking when he officiated at the Safety and health exhibition, accused Mr Masupha of being a “let down” to the workers.
He alleged that the ZFE president had failed to improve the workers’ welfare.
The minister said Government would not entertain anyone out to frustrate the implementation of the Statutory Instrument.
Meanwhile, various interest groups have commended Government for revising the minimum wage and conditions of employment.
The Federation of Free Trade Unions in Zambia (FFTUZ) and the Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) have welcomed the upward revision of the minimum wage for the workers.
FFTUZ president Joyce Nonde-Simukoko said in an interview yesterday that domestic, general and shop workers had been exploited for a long time and the move by Government to adjust their wages was a step in the right direction.
CSPR Information Management and Communication Programme Officer Diana Ngula said in statement that it was good that Government had finally adjusted the minimum wage.
Ms Ngula said the adjustment was reasonable as studies by the Central Statistical Office and the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection’s monthly basic needs basket reveal that an employee should at least earn over K1 million.
On Wednesday, Mr Shamenda announced the upward adjustment of the minimum wages and conditions of employment for domestic, shop and general workers by 100 per cent.
Domestic workers’ salaries have increased from K250,000 to K420,000 as basic pay and transport allowance of K102,400 translating into a total of K520,400.
Shop workers whose minimum wage was at K419, 000 now increases to K1, 132, 400 with a breakdown of K700, 000 basic salary and 30 per cent housing allowance, transport allowance of K102, 400 and K120, 000 lunch allowance.
Similar conditions for shop workers would also apply for other general workers
[QFM/Times of Zambia]
Nazo nkhani…who is fooling who?
Hopefully this will not make become jobless. As much as the government is trying to elevate the good standards of living, so many factors ve to be put into consideration. All the best to the PF government.
Criscencia dear i think many will be jobless. most domestics are employed by people struggling to make ends meet. washing machines, vacuum cleaners, polishers etc are a better alternative. you spend less.
We will see how many shop business will retain their employee with an 100 percent increase in wages as most work on profits of between 8 to 15 percent mark up on goods especially whosale
These chaps complaining get alot of money…They dont want people to have as little as 500pin
I am have already lost my job even before this was announced.
had two maids now i have laid of one putting the last one on as is needed to report for work basis…this means i can only pay the maid on days she reports mainly three days a week.
Kindly give us the entry requirements for the same workers you fools. Who is the Domestic Worker and what are the qualifications? A maid at Minister’s house or Managing Director’s house are the eligible ones. Not those found washing clothes at UNZA or Hone.
Iwe do not be dull, those washing clothes at UNZA simply do piece work for some few hours for many different students and they are qualified to be called maids.
MANY SMALL SHOP OWNERS AND WORKING GLASS WOULD BE REDUCING THEIR WORKFORCE. A SHOP EMPLOYING 4 ASSISTANCE WORKER WOULDLAY OFF 2 WORKERS AND THE SAME WITH HOUSE SERVANTS.THIS INCREASE WILL ONLY BRING MORE UNEMPLOYMENT AND THE GOVT MUST FIND A WAY OF CREATING MORE JOBS RATHER THAN INCREASING WAGES.
The min wage increment will improve service delivery ,coz only the skilled and trained will be employed.
It is sad you can say that nonsense, as if you have no brother or sister looking for work on streets. Sorry for you.
Craete employment first then talk of increasing wages.Shop workers! there is such a profession in Zambia?
Yes, there are people who work in retail business. Most of this work force work in supermarkets, groceries, and other stores.
Furthermore, the people who are in employment today should not have been made to wait for new jobs to be created and new people employed before they could get a poor person’s minimum wage. What premise are you basing your statement and question upon?
@ Grundix, of course you are right there are many people who work in retail (…would be interesting, for example, to know how many work at Manda Hill alone – my guess until this week would have been somewhere around 2000 or even more if you count all the guards, cleaners, maintenance people, etc!). That said, creating employment first then increasing wages IS the normal way. I wouldn’t like to answer for Ugly Truth, but the premise of this is called the law of supply and demand.
These ZCTU officials must be thinking how they will now manage to pay their kabois. They don’t care about workers and their welfare. This is the problem. It also looks as though by doing the right thing without a fight with the unions for newspaper headlines, government has stolen the glory that these unions sometimes seek from the workers.
It also goes that my salary ought be increased.
Does ZCTU still exist? I thot they no longer represent workers.Workers have been crying for sometime now and nothing has been done by this Org…..Why shud they want to be involved?just wait,that will be resolved.
Looks like Mr Shamenda, despite having held various leadership portfolio and attending various short courses on leadership, still needs to be re-educated on leadership. It seems all the courses he attended failed to hang on to any single brain cell his his head. Anyway here is a refresher course for your sire and hopefully this finally hangs on to at least just one brain cell while you are still a leader for the next 5 years.
1) Recognise that you are a leader and your job is to lead people to one common goal
2) Never ever tell your subordinates that you are smarter than them and you have great ideas
3) Always make your subordinates and foot soldiers believe that they are implementing their ideas
That way, you will lead them
Idealistic! Practical when you are in a hurry and working with bureaucratic people? No. Desirable, but not this time when the nation has to proceed on emmergency calls.
Yes, only at a social club not when there is work to be done.
Bootlicker, your flag keeps changing from USA to RSA, your frequent flier miles should be in the millions. I like your contributions to this blog though, very well thought and researched. **PS: Am not affiliated to any political party, but I do like Chipimo’s raw credentials, never been part of the “system”!!
This would have been proper if GRZ , gave civil servants 100% increment.
Mwaba should know by now that PF never consult anyone, they do everything unilaterally.
Did they consult when they realigned districts? Do they consult when they ‘create’ districts?
Wake up Mwaba, wake up.
What do you call tripartite meeting? This was the consultation but Mwaba still wants a technical committee to appoint another technical committee to put in place a committee that will elect a committee to advise the committee which will inform the minister. He went to the meeting and decided on the minimum wage yet he is surprised the minister announced the outcome of the meeting. Those dilidally days are gone.
Double the pay, half the number of workers and demand doubled productivity. If you follow this formula, the employer stays in a neutral position of same costs and same productivity. Those still in employment will be happier. The losers are those who will lose employment.
The increase of minimum wages is timely and if any further amendments are to be done organizations are free to contact the Minister.Some people in Zambia like talking un necessarily if Government didn’t not increase they would have said the PF government has failed, They increase they say its too much or to bad.
Careless talkers think before talking.
mwaba and hikaumba shut up.you are a let down especially to the civil service.most of these chaps from the unions are corrupt by the employers
How does ZCTU come in when this discussion is about non-unionised workers?
Because ZCTU is an important stakeholder in the wider labour market.
If there is a minimum wage, there must be minimum qualifications
Even maids pay rent and have needs.Hope we are not blind to that.So if u cant afford one please let go or clinch a deal for her to be working for an hour or two just agree on the rates.A cheaper option for you and also fair because like that she may be making more.
These ZCTU are sick,why can’t they be Happy since they represent the plight of the under privilege in society now that the under privilege have been given an increment they complain,what sought of animalism are they demonstrating here.It well-done PF we have been waiting for these changes and its high time our votes are at work now.
THE ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE MINISTER IS OK BUT HOW MANY ARE GOING TO SUSTAIN IT. MORE MONEY IN WORKERS POCKETS. FOR SOME TIME SOME BUSINESSMEN HAVE DRIVING PORSH CASH CARS AND LIVING IN HEAVEN ON EARTH BUT THEIR EMPLOYEES WHO CREATE WEALTH FOR THEM HAVE JUST BEEN WATCHING IN AMAZEMENT. MAY BE IN THIS WAY WE SHALL SHARE THE SWEAT OF LABOUR WITH THE EMPLOYER.
It Sounds Interesting to note that Domestic workers`s wages have increased by 100%_Well thought of by PF,But the question is who” will retain Domestic workers between the upper class and Middle class? Off course the upper class will on basis that their workers are paid for by their organizations where as the Middle class whose salaries have not been adjusted to meet the raise will have no option but to do away with such help.Generally speaking If I may ask who are the Majority in employing maids between upper class & middle class_The answer is the later which will retrench.The PF regime should consult and not impose this is a democratic state.Shamenda himself `s workers are paid by boma you cadre !
To be considered for the position of a Maid with a pay of K520,000 as minimum at my Home. You need to have the following Qualifications:
Grade 12 Certificate
Driver’s License
Certificate in basic catering.
Now tell me how many people will have these qualifications for the position of a maid? Most of them are school drop outs.
If my maid demands for an increament, I will also demand for the qualifications. So she will fire her self.
Then I have one serious question for all the bloggers here.If the minimum wage for a domestic worker increases who is suppose to effect the increase? I believe maids do not have a union and neither do they any union subscriptions to any organisation.I do not know about people working in shopping malls as for many maids are at the mercy of their employers.Usually for my maid do not just get paid, she benefits also by having a share in the meals, detergents,.e.tc.Sometimes it is me who initiates more pay.I ask about the family and how much she needs for the expenses, then I pay her that much.She has been with my family for a long time sometimes the children confide more in her than the wife.
Black Mamba, you are the modern slave driver type of person.
It is entirely up to you to go and find a person with those qualifications to work for you. Simples!
Will PF make a U-turn on this too? Like on the 100% civil servant’s pay?
I think this is the beggining of mass unemployment. For example if you are employing a maid and you cant afford to pay that, next is you fire her and bring a relative. the big danger Mr. Minister did not realise is that people will fire their workers for fear of being sued if they fail to meet. What I mean is one may agree with a worker say k300,000 per month today. the day that worker is fired he/she can go to the law and sue for the difference. where one fails to pay, bailiffs can come in. So for fear of such reprisals, maids and garden boys will be fired.
LET THOSE WHO CAN’T PAY 520,000 FIRE THEIR MAIDS AND GARDEN BOYS CAUSE THESE PEOPLE SEEM TO BE TOO GREEDY TO SHARE WITH SOMEONE WHO DOES DIRTY WORK OF WHICH THEMSELVES CAN’T DO.IF YOU CAN’T PAY THEN FIRE YOUR MAID YOU DON’T DESERVE TO EMPLOY A MAID CAUSE YOU ARE BANKRUPT OR GREEDY.BRING YOUR RELATIVE TO WORK FOR NSHIMA ,A IF HE OR SHE WILL ACCEPT.
Some of you bloggers are shortsighted and rather myopic. The ZCTU comes in because the unionized workers have been given less than 10% salary increment and they are the biggest employers of thes socalled nonunionized workers. Now where will they get the difference to pay these kaboyis and maids muziganizako vina mutisebanya bane. It’s like some of you came out of school empty headed. Ndimwe vikopo chabe. I rest my case!
Wait till the manufacturers start downsizing their workforse as the 100 percent wont be feasible to pay as they is no way this amount can be covered in their costings so the scenario will be laying of workers and increase the prices to sustain the other employee s on top of all the other increases of zesco water high taxes and other hidden costs when manufacturing these products
Yep! For example, say goodbye to the days of loading maize, mealie meal, and cement by hand as hundreds of Zambian workers will soon replaced by conveyor belts (…that complain less, and are more efficient anyway!).
Especially with the inflated exchange rate, now is a great time to import labor saving equipment!
Iwe chi Mwaba people are starving why do you want to waste time with meetings! You, of all people, should support a quick end to exploitation of labourers, otherwise QUIT.
Bushe? especially kuma maids, isnt the government who will be paying them or individuals e.g. am getting 1.2 as my basic salary and a government worker, subtract 522,400 from 1.2 then how much will i be remaining with and besides we a not given lunch allowance, (kulibonena).
Is there any fairness?
Breaking down of the pay for shop workers is a serious anomaly to say the least. For heavens sake where can one eat a decent meal at K4,000 mwebanthu. Is the government really having the usual day dreaming or what. These guys nimagumugumu chabe. The whole minister announcing such trash. I have never seen in my entire life and I am not ready for stupid surprises. Iam reliably told the worst is yet to come when these PF kaponyass have settled. I rest my case!
i just fired the two i had
Mass unimployment, this may cause riots! Also hartbreak for those who have worked with you for years, and now you have to let them go. Zambia heading the same way as Zimbabwe.
I will now be getting k1,200,000 from my employment and i have to pay the maid who takes care of our baby a k500,000, i pay k350,000 for accommodation,pay zesco k190,000, water k60,000, i spend k60,000 per child for school i have 2 children.Now, i don’t know how we can survive with the 100% increase in maid wage
You Bangwele , how can you fail to pay your maid $100 ( 500 000) per month? You devils who glory in the sufferings of the poor. Hungry Hyena who always looks for poor animals to devour, who told you that a maid should get slavery wages ($50 per month?). Thanks PF for the good gesture…may God bless you for remembering the poor.
For sure, if your budget is $50 per month for the maid, look for a part time maid who will do 1 or 2 hours everyday than work him for 30 days for a 50 dollar, what a humiliation! slavery!
If you cant afford a K520 000 as minimum do not employ kwasila. do it yourself.
#39 NATTYSON LUPOSOSHI
you need a maid but clearly can’t afford one so ask your mother to come and babysit for you. I need a 4×4 van to carry out my businesses properly but can’t afford one yet so i have to do with front puller until am able to afford a proper vehicle, so you see life is hard we can only have what we can afford to pay for.
what is wrong with the government revising the minimum wage 4 the least privileged in our communities. what type of rich man/woman are u who doesn’t care about a poor neighbor. If u don’t get enough, don’t pretend to belong to the elite. just do the dirt work yourselves.
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