The National Union of Commercial and Industrial Workers (NUCIW) has engaged management at PEP stores and Home Corp in an effort to resolve complaints raised by workers who downed tools yesterday.

NUCIW President Robert Munsanje said the union was currently sitting with management of the two companies to find an amicable solution to the problem and appealed to the workers to give chance to dialogue and report back to work so that their grievances could be addressed.

Mr. Munsanje told ZANIS in an interview in Ndola today, that protests by workers yesterday were justified because their conditions of service were poor and unreasonable.

He said it was important for investors to cooperate and follow the country’s labour laws to avoid such incidents.

Mr. Munsanje pointed out that some companies have continued to pay their workers between K100, 000.00 and K300, 000.00 as salaries despite knowing the minimum wage as stipulated by law.

He noted that such meagre salaries could not take the workers in Zambia anywhere as the cost of living was costly.

Mr Musanje also blamed Zambian Managers for perpetuating the problem of poor conditions because of their failure to tell investors the truth.

He advised Zambian Managers to learn to tell the truth and inform investors of the prevailing law in the country instead of serving their interests.

The union leader further expressed optimism that with the leadership of President Michael Sata, labour laws would definitely change in favour of human capital.

He called on workers in Zambia to support the President and his administration describing him as a leader of his words and that he would not let workers down.

ZANIS

GOVERNMENT has warned that it will take stern action against investors who exploit workers on the pretext of high production costs.

And Minister of Labour, Sports, Youth and Gender Fackson Shamenda has said Government will firmly deal with corrupt labour officers.

Mr Shamenda said in Ndola yesterday there are investors who exploit workers while others take good care of them.

“We have good employers, but some of them want to exploit our workers. As Government we are not going to entertain that,” Mr Shamenda said.

He also dismissed assertions that all foreign investors exploit their workers. Mr Shamenda called on investors to take stock of their actions because the new government will not tolerate the exploitation of workers.

He was speaking at a press briefing after touring Zambezi Portland Cement Limited, El-Sewedy Electric Limited and Gourock Industries in Ndola.

Mr Shamenda said Government will not allow employers to pay their workers salaries that are below the minimum wage.

He said companies whose workers are represented by trade unions are expected to pay salaries that are above the statutory minimum wage.

“Within the course of this week we expect to receive proposals for the revised wages for shop workers,” Mr Shamenda said.

And Mr Shamenda has issued a one-week ultimatum for investors to resolve industrial disputes. Mr Shamenda said his ministry and that of Home Affairs will work together to ensure companies engage expatriates in fields where skilled labour is not available locally.

“Once we find out that there are expatriates employed in certain positions and we have qualified Zambians to work in those same positions we will revoke their work permits,” he said.

Mr Shamenda said Government wants to see companies operate in harmony for increased production. Earlier, at Zambezi Portland Cement (ZPC), Mr Shamenda urged management to ensure workers are represented by a union of their choice.

ZPC managing director Antonio Ventriglia said his human resource manager has held meetings with various unions on the matter.

Mr Ventriglia said his company has always adhered to labour laws. He said ZPC has more than 600 workers, and is working in harmony them despite last week’s protests.

“Management took a decision to award all workers K500,000 across the board,” he said. Mr Ventriglia said the six workers whose contracts were terminated reported for work drunk, which is against the law.

And at Elsewedy Electric Limited, Mr Shamenda urged management to ensure that all industrial disputes are resolved within a week.

He urged the protesting workers to go back to work as management addresses their grievances.

Meanwhile, more than 500 casual workers yesterday protested against poor salaries at Gourock Industries.
Mr Shamenda, who rushed to the company, called on the workers to return to work and allow Government to revise the minimum wage.

Gourock chief executive officer Raul Rao said the outsourced labour force will be incorporated into the company.

Mr Rao said the company has engaged trade unions to represent the workers.

[Zambia Daily Mail]

Danish Ambassador to Zambia Thomas Schjerbeck says his government intend to renew its system of financial support to Zambia.

Mr. Schjerbeck says Denmark will work on moving from the traditional style of supporting Zambia to a more streamlined approach.

He says the Danish government is currently supporting Zambia in areas that include infrastructure development, environment, education as well as water and sanitation.

Mr. Schjerbeck revealed that the change in the support system is expected to be effected by 2013.

And the Danish ambassador has congratulated Zambia on the recent tripartite elections which saw the Patriotic Front ushered into office.

MUVITV