Thursday, March 28, 2024

Bowman Lusambo gives a Lusaka Company 7 days to improve workers Condition

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Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo has given Sabs industry, a wig making company, a seven-day ultimatum to improve conditions of services for its workers or risk having its operating license revoked.

Mr. Lusambo who today stormed the Sabs plant in Lusaka light industrial area, is concerned that some of the employees who get as low as K30 per week operate without protective clothing and with poor sanitary facilities.

He advised the directors at the company which has a workforce of 146 to employ a human resource officer, who understands the country’s labour laws, and can ensure that the working conditions of the workers are in line with the law.

“The human resource officer will be able to guide you to ensure that you do not flout the country’s labour laws,” he said.

He advised the directors who he said have been abusing their employees to change.

And Mr Lusambo warned labour officers that those found in dubious dealings with investors will be dealt with.

“This is a warning to my labour officers who just stamp contract papers to disadvantage my people that they will be in hot soup,” he said.

The employees complained to the Minister that they are meant to meet targets of assembling a bundle of fiber at K2.50.

“The amount of money we get on a day is dependent on the available fiber, sometimes we get as low as K15.” Said one of the workers who chose to remain anonymous.

He explained that money is deducted for absenteeism even when a worker is not well.

“This happens even when one has a medical report from the hospital. The conditions of services have not changed for some of us who were initially employed on a temporal basis then later engaged on a permanent basis. We can be fired at any time for making any mistake,” he explained to the minister.

Another employee stated that the female workers have to pay K5 on a monthly basis for the use of the toilets.

She said it is unfair for the company to force them to pay another K5 from the little money they get as an income.

“We want the government to help address our concerns as the working conditions here are pathetic,” she said.

And Lusaka Province assistant labour officer, Ellen Moyo who accompanied the Minister, advised the workers to seek redress from the labour office whenever they meet labour issues.

“If you don’t tell us, we cannot help you.” She said.

Ms Moyo advised them to send representatives to the labour offices.

“You need to come with your contracts and your job descriptions so that we are able to tell if you’re getting incomes in line with your work.” She said.

35 COMMENTS

  1. The office of the Labour Officer has failed many people. Even when cases are reported, sometimes it’s the person that reports who suffers the consequences. People long lost confidence in this office. There are many workers that are suffering injustice silently. The ZCTU hasn’t done much since the departure of Frederick Chiluba, they have remained a shadow fighting for recognition. FTJ stood for workers regardless of whether they were members of his Union or not. Today’s labour leaders spend time sharing allowances and making empty speeches on May Day. Well done Bulldozer for exposing this company. You’re one of the few effective Ministers, no wonder your office is full of people. Bulldozer handles an average 200 persons per day.

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    • What’s the Job Description of a Provincial Minister?
      What Lusambo is doing now is the job of a compliance inspector in the Ministry of Labour – not even Labour Minister!
      Then he threatens to withdraw a Trading Licence as if he’s the Trade and Industry Minister.
      Why is there so much confusion in this guy’s head, NALYA KA PUSHI?

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  2. Let the minister of labour deal with that issue. This confusion of acting on things without legal authority is not good for our country. Labour commissioner is actually located in Lusaka, why doesn’t Mr Lusambo tell the commissioner to take it up?

  3. But FTJ is also responsible for the fragmentation and subsequent weakening of the labour Unions …he recognized the potential threat they would have on his wield of power just as he did with KK. The labour Ministry is useless to say the least why should workers always be asked to report? What happened to their inspectorate ?

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  4. This system of under paying workers especially female employees has been going on for some time. I don’t why labour officer Ellen Moyo is playing ignorance in front of the minister. That is a shame. In most cases labour officers have contributed to current prevailing conditions of service in the country because of their being corrupt to the bone. Some investors have become very arrogant flouting our labour laws knowing that labour office inspectors are in their pockets. I wish we had three Ministers of Bulldozer type the fake investors would have changed the way they treat Zambian workers. I remember in Chongwe there was this sort of thing but was sorted out. The other type of Zambians facilitating exploitation of workers are are so called Zambian Human Resourses Officers, they are worse…

  5. @Senseless, I agree with you absolutely. FTJ allowed ZCTU to disintegrate into a myriad of unions thus weakening the labour movement. He realized the threat they posed to his govt if the remained as one unit.

  6. What is Ellen Moyo talking about by saying “You need to come with your contracts”. I would have thought the law says all employment contracts must be approved by the labour office. In this case, its her ministry that needs to sort out how it monitors these companies. As far as we are concerned, this one issue is just a small matter of a very big problem in Zambia.

  7. You can’t take away what FTJ did for the workers. At that time he wasn’t a labour leader. The person in charge was Fackson Shamende. Whatever happened to the labour movement is due to weak leaders. FTJ resisted several attempts by KK to appoint him as MCC, if he was like the leaders of today he could have accepted. There are many who ditched the labour movement for appointments into govt and diplomatic service. Although what Bowman has done is commendable in our eyes, it’s a conflict of interests because as a Minister he shouldn’t take sides. He’s a Minister for both the employer and the employee. So it’s the Union and labour inspectors that are supposed to do that. Educate yourselves about Industrial & Labour Relations matters

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  8. Just try and run a business in Zambia, thats when you will realise how hard it is. First of all half the time there is no power. Than there is a constant price increament because of the unstable kwacha. Than there is harassment from napsa, zra people who dont employ qualified professionals and look at businesmen as crooks. Then there are the constant road blocks on all roads in lusaka where your delivery vehicle is caught on flimsy things like mud flaps. Than comes the council and labour guys who look for loop holes so that they get there share. Than comes people like lusambo who want to shine at the expense of this businesses so they look like they are working hard when actually they are the people who have created these problems in the first place. Than comes the worker attitude. Lets…

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  9. Just try and run a business in Zambia, thats when you will realise how hard it is. First of all half the time there is no power. Than there is a constant price increament because of the unstable kwacha. Than there is harassment from napsa, zra people who dont employ qualified professionals and look at businesmen as crooks. Then there are the constant road blocks on all roads in lusaka where your delivery vehicle is caught on flimsy things like mud flaps. Than comes the council and labour guys who look for loop holes so that they get there share. Than comes people like lusambo who want to shine at the expense of this businesses so they look like they are working hard when actually they are the people who have created these problems in the first place. Than comes the worker attitude. Lets…

  10. That’s my bro lusambo standing up for our people as usual. My bro is patriotic. Next please go to HHs businesses and farms to see how his workers are paid peanuts and abused. In fact please we miss your whip honourable. Some people like hh only listen when physically dealt with.

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  11. Chinese companies in Zambia pay their workers less than 2 dollars per day and not more than 60 dollars per month.
    Zambian’s are enslaved in their own country by foreigners who’s cigarettes costs more than a Zambians salary per month.

  12. @Asif Essa most of the people making comments here don’t even know what it takes to run a business in Zambia, especially as a manufacturer. I left manufacturing because of daily sht from everywhere! Zambian workers are the most dishonest. 1 business you’ve over 10 licenses and permits, countless inspections.

  13. Did the lusaka province minister see how” dubai roads” got flooded ESPECIALLY PA HYBRID ROUNDABOUT, is that the same infrastructure that gobbled the debt we are failing to pay?

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  14. Some Investors have taken good
    Care of their workers.I know some
    Who have even bought houses for
    Them.But not all as some times some workers are not serious with work.Most are into drinking
    And as usual their work mentality
    Is bad.Dont always blame investors.

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  15. That’s the way errant industries should be taken to task. Ill treatment to workers should not be tolerated under any circumstances. The minister is absolutely right in the decision.

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  16. Paying less than K30 per week is inhuman. The industry should be punished in harshest possible way. How can they exploit poor workers?

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  17. A company operating without Human Resource Officer! How is it possible? This company needs to be put under strict watch. Such irregularities are risky for the workers’ health and safety too.

  18. If the company don’t mend ways within seven days, it should be closed down permanently. No one can take the administration for granted and continue to exploit the workers.

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  19. Such irregularities can’t happen without involvement of government officials concerned. They also need to be pulled up and even suspended if needed. This will send a strong message across the industries as well as administration.

  20. A ministry of Labour problem. Lusambo may be right but this does not fall under his portfolio. This government is really unruly. Next, he will threaten a hospital administrator. Guys, let us observe the rules of governance instead of playing for the gallery. I should advise Lusambo to take up this matter to his colleagues at the ministries of Labour, local government and health. Lusambo, you are not President YET.

  21. The exploitation makes sad reading. You wonder why they do that to fellow human beings when they themselves cannot survive on K30 per week. So sad!!!

  22. People have already forgotten the spat between Charles Banda and Miles Sampa. That is what happens when government does not work well.

  23. @7 Asif
    I agree with you more than 100%….doing business in Zambia is big challenge…so frustrating…brown envelopes every single day…you have to on bribing every jim and jack….how can you even make profit…in retaliation most business owners don’t even care about producing quality products let alone take care of their employees

  24. Hon. Bowman Lusambo has crossed his lines of duties. He should have referenced the complainants to Ministry of Labor and Social Services. He wants to been seen as a working minister, but does not respect other jurisdictions. This case is worse than what Miles Sampa was made to apologize for. Had Miles Sampa used good language towards Chinese community, he would still be have been reprimanded for correcting the Chinese publicly. This is what happens when you have over borrowed, you lose control. So, Bowman needs to apologize to the minister of Labor and to the public.

  25. its harrasment like this that there will bo no industries better to import ready made other than harrasment for all angles .

    then they ask why we dont have industries first its laziness work less and expect to be treated like kings .

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