Government has advised labour unions to acquaint themselves with labour laws and industrial related documents in order to represent workers, effectively.
Minister of labour Joyce Simukoko observes that lack of information by labour leaders has contributed to high levels of mistreatment of workers by employers.
Mrs. Simukoko wondered why despite Zambia having one of the best labour laws in the World, many employees have continued to be exploited.
Speaking after she toured some companies in Lusaka yesterday, Mrs. Simukoko also explained that employers should not take advantage of the high employment levels and make people work as slaves in their own countries.
She disclosed that there is need for proper negotiations between labour unions and management to ensure effective representation of both parties.
At Lusaka hotel, the minister expressed concern that workers were still been owned seven months’ salary and service charge arears from 2016.
She said there is need for the union and management to come up with a settlement scheme that will see that employees are paid promptly.
And at Verun Beverages on Mungwi road in Lusaka west, Mrs. Simukoko was shocked to learn that workers in the factory were working without protective clothing, while unionized workers where been paid salaries of non-unionized workers.
And Lusaka Hotel Managing Director David Thompson has called on government to help in resuscitating the institution.
Mr. Thompson noted that being the oldest hotel in the country, government should have considered taken the institution and run it as a national monument.
The Minister also visited polythene products where she also urged the management to improve the working conditions of workers.
Finally Joyce Nonde has awakened from a long slumber, she can’t blame labour leaders alone because her ineptitude has largely contributed to the suffering of workers. The labour movement died the moment Fredrick Chiluba left the ZCTU. What we have now are masquerades helping themselves to workers’ contributions
Where has she been all along? At one point I thought Ballman Lusambo was the minister ogf Labour!!
Where are the corrupt Labour Officers?
Ba Mayo aba kubwata bwatafye lyonse but no action!! She can do well at the Ministry of Religous affairs. Make Lusambo the Minister of Labour
Ba Madam aba, she is just good at identifying problems (as though these labour issues are new in Zambia) but never does anything about it!
You are the Minister Madam. Labour/worker issues fall completely understand you. If you know Union bosses are uninformed or ignorant of labour laws, what are you doing about that to fix the problem?
It also seems as though there aren’t any punitive consequences against employers who flaut labour laws in our country, FOR I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF AN EMPLOYER BEING SANCTIONED FOR BREAKING LABOUR LAWS IN ZAMBIA. All you have done Madam is turn the Ministry of Labour into a TALKING SHOP…..take some of these employers to court because most of these workers are poor and can’t afford to do it individually. Not sure what the rules are, but does CLASS…
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ACTION LAWSUIT ring a bell? I am guessing, probably the Ministry of Labour would be within it’s mandate to initiate such a lawsuit against some of these employers. If for no any other reason at all, at least this will show that Govt is serious about the LAWS THEY PASS IN PARLIAMENT…..and those laws are not just for show!
This is the caliber of PF leadership we have in the country. Lungu is clueless. And so are his ministers, like this woman speaking here. They’re literally begging companies to treat their workers well. Such fooolishness. To start with, the protection of the worker’s rights is the responsibility of the department of labor, and should not be relegated to the Trade Unions. It’s your duty, minister, to protect the Zambian workers. You claim Zambia has one of the best labor laws in the world. Maybe. But if laws are not enforced, what good are they? Require labor laws to be posted in all company offices in Zambia, including public places where the workers can see and read them. Put a hotline phone number there for the workers to use to report anonymously abusive employers to the labor…
… department. Also do not BEG companies to treat their workers well. You have to ORDER THEM!!!! I repeat…You have to ORDER THEM to follow labor laws, or they face severe consequences. That’s what employers respect, and not begging them to treat their workers well. Lastly, either you or parliament should enact a law forbidding employers delaying salaries for Zambian workers. Make it illegal for an employer to do that, and that any employer who delays the salaries of his workers and doesn’t pay them within one week past payday, he has to pay them with accrued interest. If he delays the salaries for a month, he risks having the business license revoked, his assets seized and auctioned off to recover money owed to his workers. GET TOUGH with employers!!! STOP BEGGING THEM. They…
… see you as weak and even laugh at you behind closed doors. Wake up!!!
Ba Lungu ngabalepusha, he would have known that some of the clowns he has appointed to ministerial positions are only supposed to be bye products of the rubbish dump. Empo mpelele.
Labour Minister just woke up from the slumber. Good morning and welcome back to the office. You went to sleep at such a critical time when workers needed your voice than ever before. Lusambo tried to do your job but it is too much for him to handle two Ministries. Kambwili does but PF police side with chines hence arrest him for speaking for poor workers. Hope madam Nonde will this time be heard not only once.
The rot in labour abuse starts and ends with the minister herself and her president. Wake up Zambia. go round choncholi investmenets and firms around zambia and see for yourself how we are exploited.
Cry my beloved country. We have talking leaders but with no action. Workers in Zambia are highly exploited by the so called employers. Labour offices are corrupted by these employers so they don’t serve the interest of the employees when ever Labour complaints are lodged there. This PF Government is just a menace to the citizens.
She has failed to take care of her own workers, why focusing in someone house.
Did she read the conditions that her workers are suppose to be paid settling allowance when the report and not 5 yrs later.
She heard her boss that those who don’t perform will be fired hence her coming out of her cocoon. She was attacked by callers on radio hot FM that she is one of the ministers who should be fired.