Friday, March 29, 2024

Two week strike costs TAZARA US$ 1.4 million

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TAZARA acting Managing Director Ronald Phiri
TAZARA acting Managing Director Ronald Phiri

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) resumed operations on Monday after more than 1,000 Tanzanian workers ended a two-week strike, the company said.

The strike over unpaid wages by 1,067 workers crippled operations at the loss-making railway, which is used to transport copper from Zambia to Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam port for export.

Spokesman Conrad Simuchile said salary arrears were cleared after the Zambian and Tanzanian governments made payments totalling more than $6 million.

The Chinese-built railway has suffered from falling cargo traffic and years of inadequate investment by the two state shareholders.

Mr. Simuchile said that over the past eight months revenue had averaged $1.53 million per month against an estimated average expenditure exceeding $2.5 million, of which salaries alone constituted an average of $1.3 million.

The 1,860 km railway had previously threatened to sack all striking workers in Tanzania if they did not return to work, saying their salary arrears were being resolved.

Tanzanian Minister for Transport Dr Harisson Mwakyembe informed the National Assembly in Dodoma that despite the fact that the strike, organised by the Tanzania Railway Workers’ Union (TRAWU) was not legal, government took into consideration the suffering of workers and their families and issued instructions that no punitive measures should be taken against the workers.

The strike started on August 23, 2013 with workers demanding arrears in payment of salaries for the months between May and August this year.

“After long discussions with my Zambian counterpart, Yamfwa Mukunga, the government of Zambia has disbursed US Dollar 5 million already received by the management of TAZARA and Tanzania has given 2bn/- as contingency for TAZARA.

The company has been instructed to recover debts from clients amounting to USD 3.17 million,” he said.

The minister assured that the workers have already received salaries for the month of May and arrears for the months of June, July and August would be taken care of.

Commenting on the effects of the strike, the Minister said 13 freight trains with 252 wagons carrying 10,080 tonnes of copper, manganese, fertilizers, oil and cement suspended activities. Again more than 46,000 passengers missed out on the services.

9 COMMENTS

  1. I am happy Aka is no longer at TAZARA otherwise will would have been hearing rubbish from the mokwetjepe about this strike!

  2. LT what currency is 2bn/- that Tanzania had given. we have seen clearly that Zambia disbursed US Dollar 5 million is that currency equivalent to the difference meaning its 1 million US Dollars. Please correct it. Thanks

  3. Surely this infrastructure can be self sustainable with right management who are ready to work and serve the interest of the company .Tazara can be very viable only if workers are motivated through paying them on time.Also marketing department should be given vehicles so that they go out there and market the company.This company should start putting adverts in print electronic media.imagine there was strike for three weeks and Tazara can’t even inform people on radio or Television. Tazara pls be customer oriented.Management at Mbeya station should be removed as these people delay the passenger train for hoursoo without any concrete reasons.The issue of delaying tactics to make overtime should be addressed.The two government should sit down and address issues concerning Tazara.

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