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Govt to review current minimum wage – Liato

Govt to review current minimum wage – Liato
Written by Gillian Namungala
Monday, January 05, 2009 6:16:37 PM

LABOUR minister Austin Liato has announced that the government will review the current minimum wage in line with the current economic demands.In an interview, Liato said the government would reflect on how best the minimum wage could be reviewed so that workers survived the current economic problems being faced in the country.

“My ministry will this year seriously reflect on the minimum wage and the labour policy to address all concerns,” Liato said.

The current minimum wage in Zambia is pegged at K268,000.

Zambia has ratified the International Labour Organisation Convention 135 on Minimum Wage fixing which is designed to overcome poverty and to ensure the satisfaction of the needs of all workers and their families.

The convention's fundamental purpose is to give wage earners necessary social protection regarding their wages. Since Zambia ratified this convention, it has from time to time adjusted the minimum wage to the current K268,000 although this figure is far below the amount required for an average family to survive in Zambia.

And Liato, who described the working relationship with the labour movement as warm, denied that the government intends to weaken the labour movements.

Last week, Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) charged that President Rupiah Banda's government had betrayed the labour movement by signing the industrial labour Act without the union's consent.

“I had a meeting with ZCTU where I explained government intentions in addressing workers’ concerns,” he said. “We want to strengthen our social dialogue with all the union movements in addressing workers plights.”

Liato also disclosed that all subsidiary legislatives would this year be reviewed to ensure that are all concerns of the labour were addressed.

Labels: AUSTIN LIATO, ILO, MINIMUM WAGE

posted by MrK @ 6:17 PM