The Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has condemned Government for going ahead to issue final dismissal letters to over five hundred nurses despite many pleas from the trade unions and appeals from affected health workers.
Speaking during a media briefing in Lusaka today, ZCTU Secretary General, Roy Mwaba, said the dismissal of these workers is a serious error on the part of government especially that nurses and paramedics were trained at a huge government cost.
Mr. Mwaba said the few nurses remaining in hospitals, more especially UTH are clearly overworked and this has put a lot of pressure on them and doctors.
He wondered how it was possible for President Michael Sata to pardon the prisoners using his discretion and yet find it difficult to pardon innocent nurses.
Mr.Mwaba added that it is hard to believe that a government which is preaching the improvement of the social and economic status of the people can fire so many people at once and condemn all the people to poverty and yet claim to be creating employment for people.
He stated that it is not too late for the Head of State to pardon the nurses and show that he is a father of the nation by listening to the plea of the people.
And Mr. Mwaba said the ZCTU is concerned with the pace at which the constitution making process is moving.
He says there is need for the PF government to give the people of Zambia a clear road-map of how they are going to deliver a people driven constitution.
Mr. Mwaba has also expressed concern at the increasing tension between the opposition political parties and the ruling PF.
He has since called on the Zambia Centre for Interparty Dialogue to play its role by defusing the tension.
ZCTU make more noise than they should
Those nurses should be water under the bridge
I will be careful what I say , as I have been warned by LT
Thanks
500 dismissed Zambian nurses = 25 000 unattended to patients.Lucky for our President he gets his treatment abroad (sorry meant he gets to go on holiday in London and fly Emirates back)
Does your uninspiring country not have an employment tribunal?
The nurses should remember :
In the end we are all sacked and it’s always awful. It is as inevitable as death following life. If you are elevated there comes a day when you are demoted. Even Prime Ministers, presidents etc.
You talk about education, infusion of the youth , unemployment with youths, well PF here is the time to fill those positions as quickly as possible and move on.
WHo knows how many LIVES were lost as nurses went on strikes? How can you forgive niglicnency of that magnitude.
If those nurses had morals, integrity , intensity, and or intelligence, they would not have striked.
How many lives could have been saved without the strikes?
They reaped what they sowed, lets move on people!
Thanks
Mwaba you are a disgrace to the labour movement. Now thats when you are waking up to face the issue of nurses.
It disgraceful and stupid of the president to sack the nurses whose only crime was to demand what he (stupid-Sata) promised them. He has the capacity to pardon hard core criminals while failing to pardon nurses all because he wants to use those criminals to fight his political battles in the streets.
He is even ashamed to tell the nation that he is ill and went for medical treatment to India when he lied to his useful id.iots that he went on a working holiday.
Just the other day his stupid minister was saying Zambia has a shortage of 25000 nurses. How on earth are they going to bridge that massive gap if they continue to sack innocent nurses. Nurses are in high…
@Mushota, I concur with you 101%. These nurses were boasting on national TV that “they can dismiss us if they want, we will go and we will see who will suffer”. Who is suffering now, is it not the nurses? No salary in January is very stressful.
Mushota for life
How many lives have we continued losing because Nurses were sacked???
The stupid nurses had it coming.
@Kapala and others of your kind. I hope you are in Lusaka and you will fall ill soon so that you find yourself at UTH. That way you will see what the patients admitted to thhat hospital are going through at the moment. Take time to visit UTH or even a clinic in your neighbourhood to see the malaise that PF has created by its emotional and irrational action of firing nurses. PF can boast of hiring a zillion nurses today but that can not replace experience and by the time these novices reach the level of the fired nurses many more countless lives would have been lost. The trainee nurses PF has unleashed on innocent patients know nothing about saving lives and are a danger to people’s precious lives, and the nation’s development if you like.
People have it wrong. These same nurses refused to go back to work even when they were engaged to resolve the issue, in the process so many people died, still the nurses didn’t care and refused to go back to work, they even dared Govt to sack them if it so wished. Now the Govt has done what it was dared to do.
The difference between you and Mushota (original) is the gramma. Mushota’s English is from a classroom.
Thank you
Well done PF. Now this is a point of no return for your political will to force Zambians out of the damning mindset of lawlessness and impunity.lesser minds will not see beyond 500 more hungry mouths on the streets.This is an act of political self-sacrifice and servitude to save this country from slowly becoming a failed state.People’s poverty must never be used as an excuse to turn our country into a moribund nation where everyone does whatever they wish.
Let’s now turn against those that are turning our cities into garbage landfills and unplanned slams.We see litter,liquor,trading,insubordination,illegal building;human waste etc, everywhere.Yet,in the light of all these vices,we still have people and political parties condemning these tough but vital decisions for political mileage…
Roy & his ZCTU chaps are probably just recovering from a “Sundowner of chibuku”, & lamentably commenting like they are letting off one of those “chibuku hangover yawns” – the true ZCTU for the workers died along time ago after kafupi did us a donchi kubeba & hijacked MMD, you see even kamwefu Shamenda, senility has taken over, doesn’t even realise where he is coming from nor going.
Biting the had that feeds you………………………….
Very brutal! These are innocent women trying to earn a descent life
Who told you that nurses are always women? There are plenty of men involved in the saga too
You forget that the same nurses refused to negotiate when given a chance to do so, an act that led to a protracted strike resulting in a lot of deaths. Now it is their turn to feel the pain when the government decide to go on ‘strike’. REMEMBER, striking is a workers right, but only if the right channels are followed.
Illegal strikes are wrong & should not be encouraged.Sometime people go on illegal strikes because their union has failed them.Government should pardon these nurses and jut give them warning.Im sure they will never go on an illegal strike again.The President should suse his powers and forgive these nurses.We need their services!!
This government does not listen @ all…what is that expression used by Fr Frank Bwalya again, is it ‘ Chuumbu mushololwa’ whatever but this is how this Gvt is…shame!!!!!!
Sata and his cadres thinks Zambia is theirs,this country has always had strikes even in the days of the worst dictator Kaunda and yet no president has ever fired the striking workers.This move should be strongly condemned and only f00ls can support such a shameful move.Why should people pretend as if all is okay when infact not…………
They will have their jobs back in 2016. in the mean time they can join campaign teams.
CNPs ..how do you they hope to achieve the MDGs..yaba..pf..chabe..
while! is this the long waited judgement everybody anticipated? i don’t think so.
Zambia is a christian nation which should be ran on christian morals regardless of what happens. As Christians we really need to use the bible and understand it on full time not part or distance time basis.
The big man this is a tight situation were you need to show your children that parental love is only found in a parent.
This are your children who have cried upon to you really outside getting soaked no shelter and no food but only water and salt remaining in their homes. You are the only hope they have hear them out they are homeless it is enough lesson learnt.
Mama Christine think of it you are a mother talk to state father to call these children warn them to serve them and a million…
Zambia is a Christian Nation?
You still believe in Father Christmas?
The fired nurses still have their lives and water but other patients lost theirs.Democracy is not appropriate in Africa due to misbehavior and indiscipline.
These Nurses should only have lost pay for the days they were on strike, that would have made more sense. Firing them is real brutality. You found them, you worked with them, you should have just left them. That firing is the most cruel way to treat your own people, especially that what they ever demanded was promised to them by the same people firing them! Unbelievable! Like others have put it, you can surely pardon criminals but you can’t do the same to nurses! Geeeeee. Industrial tribunal please, may be it can help. Leadership and taking hard and tough decisions. This decision is too weird and absurd.
Independent thought and mapping out one’s direction in life is crucial. We need to work hard as individuals to separate meaningful collective bargaining and personal goals. Many are now suffering for lack of thinking through their intended goals as individuals.
I never thought you would ever say anything against PF even when they were caught red handed. You have proved me wrong. Is the current president a kind man? It seems to me he is very oblivious to what is happening on the ground or too pre-occupied by other personal issues in his own life to care.
We do not condone indispline however to fire nurses and women for that matter and claim you want to promote equality and equity over a strike is very unfortunate. Govt has contributed to deaths’ by firing nurses. Two wrongs never make a right PF will pay heavily for this action. You are killing your own people by denying them access to timely and quality health care. NO ONE IN GOVT THINKS BETTER THAN SATANA I AM ACTUAALLY VERY ANGERILY WITH THIS ACTION BY SATAN AT STATE HOUSE
PF has made history in being the first government to fire striking civil servants! I hope they sat down to do a cost benefit analysis!
@Ganda, unless you were born yesterday, what about the resident doctors Chiluba fired?
I think this is a good lesson and an eye opener to all voters. These people are only interested with our votes, once they are voted into power, they immediately close their ears. Look what is happening to our dear big man, the cobra. If you look behind, you will find that none of his predecessors were as cruel as this cobra. Yeah cobras are cruel after all a cobra is a devil, satan so some of us are not astonished. Politicians are their to make their bread buttered basi nothing else. It is their immediate families, relatives and those in the inner circle that enjoy. I know already some of these nurses have found jobs in private hospitals/clinics and they shall not come back even after pardoning them. Shame to our beloved country, to our dear leader Papa or Granny Sata. Opposition capitalis
let them rot. these were the ones shouting that Kasonde and Sata nebangwele and that the could go and sell salaula. Let the go
Only those who mourn feel the pain of loosing a bloved
ZCTU, you were asking the nurses to go back to work, they did not heed to your calls. Let them stay home bwana.
Ze trade union has no teeth to bite.In some countries the govmt is made 2 dance to the tune of ze union.
Having said that i think the nurses had fumbled in thier handling of issues.
Equally the GRZ is to blame 4 what transpired leading 2 nurses strike and eventual dismissals.
…as the saying goes, ”safety niikuiisunga wemwine”. the fellow nurses are still working and just saying ‘awe chabipa’
What do you want them to do?they have a job to keep if you are asking them to join their friends.
For the record, Mushota’s analysis of matters is slowly improving….
That said,…. I’m on the fence where this is concerned….
Nurses are quite rude!! Majority of them,…. They got it coming,… However, aren’t other nurses coming through to fill these positions!?!?
Then again, at times i feel for them,…. but there are other employees who work under WORSE conditions and they just live life as it goes on!! The world was here before us,…it doesn’t owe us SH1T!!!
….just condemning and FULL STOP…???..I expected to hear action plan to have them reinstated either by crook or……
The pleading phase has already expired. Its time to face the BULL head on.
Its high time the union showed us that they also have ‘teeth’ made out of steel…..
the teeth was knocked out during a fight baba
Do these dogs from zctu have dstv? If they do,they must watch and replicate cosatu how it brings government to its knees through mass demonstrations. Talking to ichumbu is wasting time,didn’t they get it from Fr Bwalya? Mass action is what’s needed in solidarity with the dismissed nurses you *****s.
Try you will be met square.
.. These nurses should understand the importance of hygien.. they should NOT be in work clothes on such unhygienic area least they habour diseases to the patients.
A qualified health worker would take off his/her work clothes out and wash before going outdoor or home. They can’t be in uniforms on public places, transport or/and outdoor outings etc ..
An illegal strike will always be illegal. we are not suppose to encourage ifyabupuba. some of you want to blame everything on the government even if i dont support some of the things the kolwestan are doing you cant apportion all the blame on them pantu bambi nangu wanya taushindile ati no the government is not providing the insentives for ukushinda..
The PF government is devoid of a functional conscience.
You voted them in so put up or shut up!
Chumbu Munshololwa will never change! Remember the firing of junior doctors? From that time the health system has never recovered with regards to patient:doctor ratio as well as nurse:patient ratio. The junior doctors after being fired trekked down south and these are the same doctors who attend to these chumbus we have when they go for treatment down south. What a failed country. Next time vote wisely not dreamers.
Politics is not like that tell your HH to come up with a saleble plan to govern and tell the electorate what he will do differently may be but kaya.
SAKA YOU ARE VERY VERY DULL. IF YOU ARE NOT DULL CAN YOU TAKE THE GOVERNMENT TO COURT FOR DISMISSING 500 MALINGALA NURSES WITHOUT ANY OFFENCE. IF YOU FAIL TO DO SO IT MEANS THE GOVERNMENT KNOWS WHAT IT IS DOING. THAT STRIKE WAS ILLEGAL AND ZCTU IS AWARE ,THAT IS WHY THEY CONTINUED PRIDING TO THE GOVERNMENT. ME I SUPPORT THE FIRING OF NURSES BY GOVERNMENT BECAUSE THIS PEOPLE ARE VERY VERY FOOLISH TOWARDS MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AT THEIR WORK PLACES. VIVA HH2031 HH2031 HH2031.
What is ZCTU President doing watching his people being fired while criminals are pardoned. ZCTU President call for countrywide strike for all civil servants and see who will be fired if they want let them fire all us because what is happening to Nurses today it will happen to teachers or any civil servants in future. These were the People who promised us more money in our pocket and today when the demand their rights they are fired. fools.
Don’t be funny wena. If you are a civil servant you should have received more money in your pocket by now,even those nurses received more but wanted excess,mutwele ndate?
I see tears, women crying in grief and anger. I see vengeance in their heart, as they cry.
i am confounded, they have tears for themselves, and not for the people who died when they looked.
I am even more confused, for the Lord has heard their cry. He is a good judge, and he knows why.
The Lord will not rest when there is torment among his people.
The Lord as decreed, ” My people have died because you mislead my children. My children are crying because you have tormented them. It is I the Lord that must Torment you, for I am Lord and Have Been Alive before and Forever”
He Will Sweep the Road, it is What he Does in Such a Time.
We need disciplined labor this is good.
It is not good but necessary for discipline.lawlessness was becoming the order of the day.ask the North Korean.
Transfers to rural clinics would have been reasonable punishment.
Not brutal autocratic dictatorial outright dismissals
At least they are still breathing such nonsense as strikes are for non essential cde”s not nurses..understand your calling don’t be a politician at work.
As a request for forgiveness is being made by ZCTU, they should also remember that the same nurses were heartless as they totally neglected patients for whom they were trained to nurse. Some of the patients died as a result of their illegal strike action.
I remember very well watching the Minister, on ZNBC TV, pleading with them to report back to work but they were highly defiant. It is quite surprising that during that time ZCTU were totally mute but have to come up now to ask for forgiveness! Indiscipline should never be condoned.
Well written mbala , the politicians were encouraging them to strike as many died due to lack of care.they still have their certificates let them join hilltop for instance & lets see if they would tolerate that level of indiscipline .
GLAD TO NOTE GOOD NUMBERS CONTRIBUTING SENSIBLY AND POSITIVELY. THE STRIKE WAS ILLEGAL AND “some” NURSES SHUNNED TO RESUME WORK AT THE EXPENSE OF INNOCENT PATIENTS WHILST GOVT TRIED FINDING A SOLUTION TO THEIR CRIES.
THE NURSES THEMSELVES CANNOT BE REGARDED AS INNOCENT IN THIS ISSUE BECAUSE THEIR MOVE WAS PREMEDITATED.
MOST OF THE RECENTLY RETIRED AND OF COURSE VERY EXPERIENCED NURSES CAN VERY EASILY AND QUICKLY FILL UP THE POSITIONS ON CONTRACTS WHILST GOVT FINDS A LASTING SOLUTION.
We don’t want them to brain wash the recently enrolled.How do you bit the finger that feeds you in preference to pleasing the politician.I heard of a similar move on CB by some group leaders,watch out .PF requires you know which side of your bread is buttered.lawlessness is totally unacceptable. When you choose not to go to work we all know what follows you are fired and poverty creeps in while the politicians that visited every day stops visiting and puts your number on reject list.
Fire the bitches period!!!!
I challenge all who think the know it all by supporting this stupid move. Go to uth right know and see how many lives are being lost. Wait until it is your turn or your loved one and then let us see whether this arrogance will continue., unless you are privileged. This decision affects the poor the very people that voted for them. Go to uth the situation is depressing!!!
ZCTU,don’t you have something to keep you busy.The issue of nurses is water under the bridge,if anything those nurses deserve worse than dismissal but prosecution for participating in an illegal strike.