Mines Minister Christopher Yaluma has told journalists in Kasama that government will not allow Mopani to retrench any miner.
He says there is no justification for Mopani to start retrenching workers when the mines in the country are doing fine.
Mr Yaluma has wondered why Mopani is the only mining company refusing to accept to pay the new adjusted electricity tariffs by ZESCO and Copperbelt Energy Corporation (CEC).
He says it is unsustainable to continue subsidizing electricity supplied to mining companies.
The Mines Minister states that should Mopani Copper Mines insist on retrenching the workers, government action will be grave for the mining company to bear.
Ans the Mine Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) has vehemently rejected threats by Mopani Copper Mines to cut 4,700 jobs.
MUZ president Chishimba Nkole has told a media briefing in Lusaka that Mopani should instead cut expatriate jobs.
He says the move by the mining firm appears to be premeditated and aimed at intimidating and blackmailing stakeholders.
Mr Chishimba says it’s unfortunate that workers now appear to BE an easy fix and victims of Mopani and CEC’s failure to negotiate the power supply agreement in good faith.
He has warned of the consequences of the impasse between MCM and CEC on the Copperbelt province, particularly in Kitwe and Mufulira.
Mr Chishimba states that memories are still fresh on redundancies that were made by Mopani in 2015 involving 4,300 workers.
He says the nation cannot afford to lose a further 4,700 mine workers as tHIS will push them into abject poverty.
The MUZ president who is also Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president has since called on government to intervene in the matter.
Yes tell these crooks in no uncertain terms. They can afford the new tariff very easily but they are bent on maximising profit at the expense of our government. Sorry you idoits, we cannot subsidise you at the expense od our people. Tell Mopani this is a treasonous act!
Mopani in Kasama?
Why can’t minister statement at Mopani offices, he is scared ukuponikwa.
Kudos Kudos Kudos our working government. These mine operators make huge profits. Why don’t they want to pay for the power?
I can never thank you enough Mr. Minister through this government for this stance you have taken. These guys have been twisting our arms for sometime now.
Yes ba minister, but action speaks louder than words, if they can not afford to pay new tariff let them go they are not fit to be in Zambia. and let committed investors or zccm do the business. WHY SHOULD YOU subsidise the power at the expense of poor citizens. these people are making urge profit, they are just politicking…..
This will just affect the 2018 negotiations for salary increments.
Boys zambia operates under the rule of law as you keep telling everybody. So if mopani have a contract the rule of law says that the contract must be honoured.
What is this “doing fine”? Is this not the same government which is forever sending out teams to verify production numbers because they cannot believe they are so low? So which is it? Lol. And that $3million daily is revenue-not profit,i.e. before a single cost has been taken out.
Anyway, the truth of the matter is that unless GRZ will be taking over payment of the wage bill, they are absolutely in no position to warn anyone.