Mines and Minerals Development Minister Paul Kabuswe have advised Lubambe Copper Mine to reverse its decision to declare 178 workers redundant.
Mr Kabuswe said that the mine must withdraw all letters written to the affected workers because Government was not consulted over the matter.
He told ZNBC News in an interview in Lusaka that the Chililabombwe-based mine needs to discuss with the government and explain why it wants to fire the workers.
Mr Kabuswe said the government does not take pride in seeing companies dismissing workers.
Last week Lubambe Copper Mines initiated the process for some of its over 500 employees to apply for voluntary separation without engaging the unions who represent the workers.
In a communication brief dated June 6, 2022 addressed to all Lubambe Copper Mines employees and signed by Mr. Daniel Chihili, the mine said that after an internal business re-organization, interested employees must apply for voluntary separation with the last shift for those who will opt for the scheme to be 30 June 2022 and that the application period is open for 14 days between 7th and 21 June 2022 after which no applications will be accepted.
The mine had advised interested employees to see their heads of department or consult with departmental senior human resource officers on the process of eligibility and for details of entitlement and application forms respectively.
But Mine-Workers Union of Zambia President Joseph Chewe who confirmed the existence of the voluntary separation scheme at Lubambe, said the unions had decided to write to the mine after it went ahead to initiate such a move without engaging them.
Mr. Chewe said that the unions are social partners whose mandate extends to labour matters hence their displeasure that some of the over 500 unionized workers will be made to sign separation packages without the input of their representatives and without the mine explaining the rationale behind its decision.
Is it your mine,? If the owner thinks he can’t maintain the numbers, he’s at liberty to make adjustments. Just ensure your people don’t allow this mine to employ foreigners. If they can’t afford the locals, they also can’t afford foreigners.
Lubambe is a private company, without any government support, and without any union contracts. Therefore it can do what it wants. If the mines minister wants to reverse the sackings, then he can hire those workers himself – but he is not giving away any Kwachas for that. Therefore this very bad minister should just shut up
Please leave them alone…next he will rush there to offer tax breaks to the owner…its the same cycle
Tarino you thought you were clever persuading people to vote for your fellow t0ngaz. See now the situation our country finds itself in. Meanwhile there you are abroad enjoying free housing and state help whilst drinking tea and eating biscuits whilst the people you persuaded are suffering and losing jobs. Upnd members are the biggest f00Is on earth
I am very sorry I dont respond to impostors who pretend to where they are not!!
What does voluntary separation mean? Is it not the same as declaring someone redundant
Mines have been using this for sometime. Normally if you volunteer they add some incentive. There comes a time when they have no option but to declare you redundant without choice.
Welcome to being the party in power, lol. These guys in opposition were loudly against such actions by the PF.
You have to provide jobs as governing party and this is a response out of worry not logic. You cannot dictate to a private company about keeping its employees. The best the government can do is to to ensure the employees are paid what due and that Labour conditions for employees are adequate.
This is a private company it doesn’t need to consult government as long as it is following the labor laws and the collective agreement when implementing such unless government is a shareholder.
Mr Minister, stop meddling in other people’s business. Politics aside, this is purely a business decision taken by a company if they see that the manning levels cannot be supported by their production and therefore is adversely affecting the bottomline. The same company did not beg your office for permission to employ, yet you allowed them. They are actually considerate by asking for voluntary separation, otherwise they are not obligated to do so.
Bwana kabuswe remember that this happened again in December last year when 22 employees were declared as excess labour without consulting the government or union by the same company.in my own opinion this company does not fear the government.All the 22empoyees were in the hands of the medical doctors due to injuries sustained whilst executing different jobs at the company.instead of laying us on medical grounds after the exist medicals results which came out positive that we were sick the still went on with their decision.i would like you beans minister to visit lubambe mine and check on the letters you will find that the majority are those who are sick.i don’t want my brothers and sisters to pass we’re I have passed.Right now am an able to do anything because of my injury I sustained…
You see now wht u, our leaders hv lead us into? These are the results of wanting foreigners to run your economy, ad u sit back. Whn are going to be mature to run our economy? Since 1991 we hv bn begging foreigners for investment, wht do we get? Nothing, ad we a still on our knees begging ad brused. Ba HH, Zambians made a substitute, we need u to do something bt life is getting worse for all Zambians ad for nothing is done, we a enslaving ourselves to these foreigners ie IMF, Chinese etc. Save Zambia, the people trusted.