(left) and Zambia Congress of Trade Unions president Leonard Hikaumba
(right) at Labour Day celebrations in Lusaka
THE Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) has expressed happiness with President Michael Sata over his directive for employers in the country to award workers decent salaries.
MUZ general secretary Joseph Chewe said President Sata had demonstrated his genuine concern for the general citizenry by speaking publicly urging employers to award workers decent salaries.
Mr Chewe said the gesture by President Sata to direct Labour Minister Fackson Shamenda to ensure that employers award workers decent salaries was a clear demonstration that Government meant well for its people.
“We welcome the gesture by the President to direct Labour Minister Fackson Shamenda to ensure that employers award workers decent salaries.
“President Michael Sata has demonstrated that he is a true unionist because if he can speak publicly urging employers to pay decent salaries, it goes to shows that the head of State has got the interest of workers at heart,” Mr Chewe said.
He said President Sata’s directive for decent salaries was a plus on the part of Government whose vision was to reduce poverty among people.
“The message also goes to serve as a wake up call to us unions on the need to effectively represent workers for them to have decent salaries,” he said.
Mr Chewe said President Sata’s directive for decent salaries was timely as it was made at the backdrop of the country’s 50 years of independence celebrations.
He said President Sata’s directive for employers to award workers decent salaries could not have come at any better time than now when citizens expects the 50 years of political independence should translate into decent wages and living.
President Sata during this year’s Labour Day celebrations directed Mr Shamenda to ensure that employers award workers decent salaries.
The Head of State said it should not take workers to go on strike in order to be given decent salaries.
Directive to private employers? Can I have some of whatever you are smoking?
But those decent wages has no figures? Just demanding because the president dictated so?
wht u talking abt..?? jst running yo mouth for nothing..it’s da same unions especially Muz who hs lamentably failed to negotiate for decent wages for miners..
What are decent salaries in the first place? Wonders shall never end indeed! Increase in salaries is simply increase in inflation like or not. The figures are better looking at them but get to the market; because of increased buying power, supplier sees an opportunutity to raise profits. Then you realize you need a raise again. The circle repeats itself like it has thousand of years before but Zambia we not appear to learn. Who get the brant of of it, are they not the other zedians on the streets and power rural dwellers? Give me a break, please!