(TIMES) Banda’s handling of mining sector hurdles cheers MUZ

Banda’s handling of mining sector hurdles cheers MUZ
By Times Reporter

THE Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) has commended President Rupiah Banda for his pledge to involve all stakeholders in handling critical issues in the mining sector, particularly the recent development at the Luanshya Copper Mines (LCM).

Meanwhile, the National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) has challenged the labour movement to offer solutions to the challenges in the mining sector arising from the falling copper prices and the global economic crisis.

MUZ general secretary, Oswell Munyenyembe said in an interview in Mufulira yesterday that the union was happy that President Banda had shown interest in resolving issues affecting the mining sector following the slump in copper prices and the global financial crisis.

Mr Munyenyembe said that the union was ready to support the Government and ensure that the problems affecting the mining sector were resolved.

He encouraged Mr Banda to visit other mines such as Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) and Chambishi Copper Smelter.

He said the president should quickly meet officials at the mining companies and intervene before miners lost their jobs.

Mr Munyenyembe said that about 4,000 miners at MCM, both contractual and permanent, were likely to lose their jobs and another 800 could face similar fate at KCM’s Nkana Smelter, hence, the need for Mr Banda to quickly intervene.

Mr Munyenyembe appealed to the Government to consider finding a partner to run LCM.
And in a separate interview, MUZ president Rayford Mbulu said mine owners should be open to the Government about their future plans.

Mr Mbulu, who was reacting to LCM’s decision to place the mine on care and maintenance, said investors should clearly spell out their plans so that stakeholders could digest them.

He advised mine workers not to despair, but that they should rally behind the union so that it could become more solidified than before.

Meanwhile, NUMAW has called on the labour movement to offer solutions to the hurdles that have risen as a result of the global economic recession.

NUMAW president Mundia Sikufele also said job cuts at the moment were unwarranted because the recession was not as serious as people were putting it.

Speaking during the opening of the union’s supreme council meeting at Kitwe’s Hotel Edinburgh at the weekend, Mr Sikufele said there was need for the labour movement to advise the Government on how best it could address the economic challenges in the wake of the global financial crunch and the fall in copper prices.

He said now was the time for the labour movement to move from the point of making promises to fulfilling them.

The NUMAW president said the labour movement had an important role to play in the labour sector especially this time when jobs of its members were at stake.
Mr Sikufele said the labour movement needed to make itself available to the people by offering solutions that would secure people’s jobs.

Earlier, NUMAW national secretary Goodwell Kaluba said the effects of the global financial meltdown and the drop in copper prices had begun to manifest in a number of mining companies.

Mr Kaluba said about 290 skilled employees at Bwana Mkubwa had lost their jobs while a further 298 miners at Kansanshi were expected to be laid off.