Thursday, March 28, 2024

Government to deal with ill treatment of workers by contractors-Labour Minister

Share

Minister of Labour Joyce Nonde presents the award to Dr. Christine Kaseba on behalf of her late Husband Micheal Sata (Post-Humously) whilst ZCTU President Chishimba Nkole looks on during Zambia Congress Trade Union Golden jubilee award Celebration at Mulungushi Conference Center
Minister of Labour Joyce Nonde presents the award to Dr. Christine Kaseba on behalf of her late Husband Micheal Sata (Post-Humously) whilst ZCTU President Chishimba Nkole looks on during Zambia Congress Trade Union Golden jubilee award Celebration at Mulungushi Conference Center
Government says it is in the process of coming up with laws that will regulate contractors in the wake of complaints from workers that they are ill-treated.

ZANIS reports that Minister of Labour and Social Security Joyce Simukoko revealed this in Masaiti District on the Copperbelt Province where she is on a fact finding mission of alleged workers ill treatment by contractors at Dangote Industries.

Mrs. Simukoko admitted that there is a lot of exploitation of workers by contractors.

She emphasised that there is need for government to put up a legal frame-work that Contractors should be adhere to.

Mrs Simukoko explained that casualisation that is being practiced by contractors has an effect on the pension houses as well as the individual workers who are unable to empower themselves.

She said once the legal frame work is in place, interests of workers will be adequately addressed.

25 COMMENTS

  1. Joyce Nonde is one confused minister!!!! Eish!!!!
    Just the other day she wanted abused workers to be arrested… Now she has the audacity to claim she is going to protect the workers from abuse. Take a hike ba Joyce, and let capable people handle the ministry

    • Lazy Chawama Chakolwa is busy drinking, dancing, & roasting wild game @ State House, & has given strict instruction NOT to be disturbed during the Festive X-Mas period, unless its a Coup, or anythig that seriously risks his drunken grip on power.

  2. This tells you that these chaps in government make pronouncements that suit the situation. This woman has completely forgotten the stu.pid comments she made about the restaurant in Lusaka. Shame on this failed leadership. Zambia is headed for doom with these mediocre ministers. All they know is looting and increasing their peronal net worth. Just check them out; you will see how wealthy this woman is already.

  3. Even when we appreciate humble leadership, I think its time the President showed some teeth….fire the lady and put the so many capable Men and Women that are going to raise his profile leadership….As is PF sympathizer like me who is not a cadre, am questioning my continuous support??

  4. Who can trust Nonde and yaluma,their fact missions will never bare fruits.so she is telling us Govt can not do anything at the moment since there is no document to support abused workers,we are in trouble.stop cheating us they will invite you and give you something.next workers will be prunned.

  5. This is the mistake this sorry excuse for a minister is making.The ministry has labour inspectors why is she doing there job at huge cost to the treasury? Labour inspectors doing this job would cost the treasury far much less than the huge allowances she is costing us doing a job that is not within her job description. This is a clear sign of incompetence.Labour leaders are not suitably qualified for ministerial jobs.These are people who are in the lower echelons of the employment ladder.I would not be suprised to learn that her job at ZNBS was that of Secretary or Bank Clerk before climbing the union ladder.

  6. I am PF but this is rubbish. Is this not the woman minister who went to hear a story from one side at the racist horse shoe and immediately issued an arrest warrant of a citizen who was not even heard

  7. Joyce Nonde lihule fye, elo lihule sana…bicth. I suspect the owner of the restaurant is her boyfriend. Do you need to wait until those laws come into effect in 2070 when she will be long lost in the history of Zambia for you to act on a clear case like this? Even prostitution doesn’t go that far as Joyce Nonde has taken it. Every time she talks I vomit.

  8. Why go on fact finding mission if at the same time you are saying that there are no laws to address the injustices the employees are suffering from? Why not formulate the Laws you want first. This is jokes at its best, calling for new Laws when the country has plenty of Laws and ratified International Labour Conventions which have been shelved. ECL should act for misleading the nation.

    • The Office of the President is closed til the second week of 2017…..in case of emergency call either State Lodge Bar or State House main house bar and ask for Amos….the Veep is a useless Clueless old Hen don’t bother her.

  9. This minister is lost on this one. I’m a contractor and am speaking from experience. Government is to blame 100%.
    When you get a contract from the government and you finish the project. The government takes one year to pay where do the labour minister expect you to get the money to pay the workers. Does the minister know that local contractors have lost property to the banks due to the luck of payments by the government. Come on if you don’t understand the system please stop taking up positions for the sack of employment. Learn from the learned than talking from the blues. Am one of the affected contractors and very bitter with you government ministers who behave like you don’t live with us. A lot is going wrong and because you’ve excess to the media and you covered by ZNBC . You…

    • Spot on and when they release the monies the make a show of it as if they have released it on time and commence project tours with their ministers for the cameras. This is another reason why the favour the Chinese at the expense of local contractors because the Chines are able to cushion those delays with assistance from China Exim Banks who have deep pockets.

  10. Shut mama useless minister for the following reasons
    1. Government owes contractors a lot of monies.
    2. No one worker trust what comes out of your mouth.
    3. Restaurant saga

  11. She no have courage to nail a Greek so she go for Nigerian. Black man hate fellow black man but love white slavemaster.

  12. Zambia Congress Trade Union Golden Jubilee presenting an award to late president Sata – efinshi ifi?, what value is added to late Sata’s presidency whose practice of tribalism was so vile without shame. President Lungu is now reversing all Sata’s tribal antics. Times do change. Others will come to prosecute all PF thieves including Kambwili.

  13. There is no ill treatment of workers in any way , let the workers be more responsible and teach them to do the correct things . A worker is not a slave at the same time he or she is employed so has to work according to the rules of the company. Dont encourage any sort of irresponsiblity in workers and misbehaving way . Let’s learn to be fare enough when it comes labour laws . Don’t jump to conclusions any how .

  14. Any and every functional government has statutes and statutory agencies that dictate and regulate how employers and employees are expected to perform and interact in a conducive work environment. Additionally there may be extra oversight from other watchdog groups such as unions. Government through labour agencies such as the ministry of labour lays out the blueprint for both emloyer and employee to adher to. Failuire to comply may be deemed a statutory violation punishable in the courts of law. An employer cannot arbitrarily deduct from wages without cause and explained in writing. Similarly government cannot withhold payment to contractors without merit. The labour board and courts are there for recourse. Many employees do or must have an employment manual.Violation of individual rights…

Comments are closed.

Read more

Local News

Discover more from Lusaka Times-Zambia's Leading Online News Site - LusakaTimes.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading