Zambia Water and Sanitation Engineering and Allied Workers Union members have began a sit-in protest following the elapsing of a 48-hours ultimatum given to government to withdraw a circular directing water utilities in the country to award workers a 5 percent salary increment.
And some water utilities are reportedly threatening and intimidating their workers who are staging a sit-in protest.
Union president, Joseph Musapa, has however urged water utility managements to calm down and allow for the protest to go ahead as planned because it is not targeted at them.
Mr. Musapa said the protest is meant to send a message of displeasure to government over its decision to award the workers a 5 percent salary increment when civil servants were awarded a 15 percent pay rise.
He has urged water utility managements to stop intimidating workers and allow them to go ahead with the protest because it is for a good cause.
Workers at Nkana and Mulonga water and sewerage companies on the copperbelt have lead the way in staging the protest which expected to spread to Lusaka soon.
Mr. Musapa says failure by the MMD Government to listen has caused the protest by the workers
QFM
I thought these were private companies, so GRZ still directs their operations? OK! No wonder Zamtel and Zesco struggle. Maybe they should sell them some Libyans :d
These utilies though limited companies are owned by local authorities
And receive grants from Gvt. Mosr CU do not meet their statutory obligations I.e. NAPSA, ZRA, etc due to poor liquidity as a result of Gvt non settlement of bills. If bills were paid things would be different.