Albidon Zambia Limited in Mazabuka has awarded new contracts to its employees with a salary deduction of 30 per cent across the board.
Meanwhile, the 60 workers at the company, who were scheduled to sign the new contracts last Friday, have rejected and refused to sign the contracts describing the 30 per cent deduction as too much and unbearable.
Sources within Albidon, a nickel mine owned by Jinchuan of China, disclosed that management at the company which has been placed under care and maintenance, on Friday awarded new contracts to the 6o employees with a 30 per cent salary deduction effective September1, 2013.
The workers, who declined to be named, complained in separate interviews that no employee has since accepted to sign the contracts on grounds that there were no consultations between management and employees.
They disclosed that as employees they would not accept excuses that are being advanced by management that employees at Albidon, should effect deductions on its employees just like its sister company in China due to lack of profit on its businesses.
“We are informed that they were instructions given by management of Jinchuan in China where the headquarters are that we should have our salaries deducted by 30 per cent just like the case is with our counterparts in China on grounds that the company is not recording good profits,” revealed the sources.
The workers further disclosed that according to the contracts, management has given a period of seven days in which to allow the workers to sign, saying it is, however, not clear as to what action management would take against those that refuse.
Meanwhile, labour experts have opposed to the action taken by Albidon to reduce salaries by because no mutual agreements were reached between the employer and the employee.
The experts disclosed that in a normal situation, both the employer and the employee needed to engage in consultations in order to agree on what percentage unlike a situation where the employer just imposes the changes.
Efforts to get a comment from management staff this morning proved futile as they were reported to be in a meeting.
ZANIS
Just join civil service where salaries have been increased to more than 250%
GRZ has no mine iwe. These are Shimaini
Thats nonsense, who can agree to such useless and barbarian treatment of workers? 30 % deduction , what a joke of the year 2013.
Peace and Prosperity to Mother Zambia.
more information on ur reporting LT , what does 30% mean to their current pay, u need to gd the OLD pay and the the new contract one. we read to understand and make a case to help employees.
The Chinese in Sata’s regime are different from the Chinese in Rupiya Banda’s regime.
how
Zambia is now ruled by china,chinese do watever they want.who ll talk no one.
One day workers will rise against these chinese investors because government has failed to protect its own people .
Thought the law says you can reduce someone’s salary, maybe you can only freeze the increament for a certain period of time.