LABOUR Minister Fackson Shamenda has directed his Permanent Secretary, Trevor Kaunda to immediately summon Shoprite Checker’s management and the union representatives to resolve allegations leveled against the former.
In an interview yesterday, Mr Shamenda said management at Shoprite and leaders from the National Union of Commercial and Industrial workers of Zambia (NUCIW) should report to his office immediately to ascertain what the problem was.
He said his office would not tolerate any lawlessness from any investors who wanted to flout stipulated labour laws in the country deliberately.
He was issuing the directive in the wake of a looming strike at Shoprite Checkers countrywide for its failure to implement the minimum wage as well as reducing on their allowances.
“ I have asked my PS and the Labour Commissioner to summon both the Union and Shoprite managers, there is no need to go on a countrywide strike because the union has not yet exhausted all the channels, a dispute has not yet been declared, so I want them to indicate their position on the matter, lawlessness would not be tolerated in this country from any investor,” he said.
And NUCIW has expressed disappointment with Shoprite Checkers management for ignoring government’s directive to implement the the minimum wage.
In an interview yesterday, union president Robert Musanje said due to non compliance of the law, a countrywide strike was looming.
Mr Munsanje said his union recently met with Shoprite Checkers’ management to discuss why among other things, it had failed to implement the minimum wage but failed to give convincing reasons.
“ It is a pity that managers at Shoprite Checkers have continued to ignore the implementation of minimum wage with impunity, imagine a situation where the managers had even gone to levels were they now reduce the workers’ allowances,” said Mr Musanje.
He said his union was in support of the planned countrywide strike because it was in public domain that Shoprite was making huge profits in the nation an indication that it was able to pay its employees new improved salaries.
A check at some of the shops found workers working but emphasized that they were only waiting for a go ahead from their fellow employees in the Provincial centers because meetings were currently underway.
When contacted for a comment, human resources manager Andrew Mwala referred all queries to his superiors.
How can anyone take what you say seriously when you look so filthy Mr Shamenda. Lest you mistaken for mad man.
Iwe kapuli am not mad. This is just my trade mark
How low can u sink? These are your fellow country people being abused and all you can do is insult Shameda? Try engaging your brains. Then again common sense is not common.
The labour laws in Zambia are out of tune with the modern economic trend. How much is travelling allowance, lunch allowance, gratuity for workers in Zambia? Mr Minister wake up!!!! Visit Zimbabwe, Botswana or even Tanzania. you are the only labor minister that does not scrutinise the foreign labor seeking work permits.
sit down with Kambwili who is more jerked up or privately see Edith Nawakwi … remember what she did to expatriate teachers at the Lusaka international school? That is how a minister should be. Terminate work permits of some foreign labor. How do we have expatriate rig drillers … how did your men give them work permits? Wasn’t it corruption, ineptness etc ….? Change the labour laws to be in tune with the modern economic trends.
They got permits during MMD gov. Homework pls.
Trade mark…lol
S.h.i.t. all I can say.
But Shoprite makes huge profits why paying their colleagues so low who are working so had for what they have.
Sata made a mistake to remove Kambwili from Labour. This Shamenda is a wrong chap; always talking with no actions. Always waiting for reports; no proactive search for corporate misconduct against workers. Very irritating indeed ba Shamenda.
this is serious bull coming from shoprite – i implemented the minimum wage for my maid 6 months ago…..what is holding these guys back? they have to be fined for resisting government directives……chopeti!!!
At least this govt is serious it has been in power for 2 years and we are seeing the political will to help the poor workers, MMD did nothing to address this issue and it was never heard of in MMD for a minister to come out like that, HATS OFF Bwana Shamende, PF,VIVA SATA.
Pf pathetic
I just wonder what the labour minister do when he goes to the office. Can the President bring back Kabwili to Labour ministry. What is going on in private companies is pathetic. Mr Minister please request for credentials from private companies for all the so called expatriates and scrutinise to see if they are eligible for the positions they are holding. we have well qualified Zambians who are in the streets when iliterate foreigners are holding high positions whose pressure they can not even handle. work is all done by their Zambian surbodiates with meager salaries while their bosses have heft salaries for doing nothing.
Mr Shamenda please wake up.You are sleeping ever since you took over from Kabwili. Start making visits to private companies and check the wellfare of the workers.
Zambians themselves need to wake up and vote with their feet, if Shoprite is mistreating us we should not visit their stores, management will get this message loud and clear.
The problem is a work permit is issued by a left hand which is the immigration office that falls under the ministry of Home affairs.A Job is also issued by the other hand i.e The Employer (Management) who only applies for work permits mind you not to labour ministry but to immigration office>Ministry of Home Affairs. Thus were problem lies… If only the ministry of labour was assenting to all work permits more of these so called expatriates would be denied works permits after screening them.
Grace lubinda you are the one who is pathetic. shame
Simples Mr Shamenda. I would find out what records statutory routine inspections hold before I summon them, maybe you have already done that. Simply there is a standard which would measure all their HR activities. The labour regulatory ombudsman must have already measured these. If they didn’t match the standard and workers are complaining fine them and warn them. It should not always be crisis management.
Don’t just sit and watch local people being abused. Do something fast..this is irritating.
Shamenda with his threatening language needs to calm down
This is serious issue needs to be handled in a professional manner
Not childish threats because you are deterring future investors if you
Yourself can’t even create more employment