Maravi

Job losses

Job losses
Written by Editor

Today, as always on May 1, Zambian workers join other workers all over the world in celebrating International Labour Day to pay homage to Chicago martyrs who laid down their lives during the historic struggle of workers in Chicago (in 1886) for an eight-hour working day.

This is also a day to remember the historic struggle of the working class and recognise their sacrifices. It is a day to analyse the struggle of workers and trade unions for more just, fair and humane working conditions and relations and what they gain and what they lose, think over how to move forward in this struggle.

This year, we are commemorating the May Day in a very critical and serious economic situation. Jobs are being lost every day with no hope for new ones. This May Day, we should intensify the campaign for jobs and respond strongly to the rising levels of unemployment.

The quality of jobs is also declining, as precious and vulnerable forms of employment are rapidly replacing permanent secure employment. There is need for the workers to call for a change in the country’s economic policies. The current policies have spectacularly failed to break the backbone of unemployment and poverty. There is need for the workers to demand a change. None of the problems the workers are raising this May Day can be addressed by this economic system. And the only way to ensure policies in favour of workers is to mobilise the workers’ power in support of their demands. And May Day gives them the ideal platform to push these demands.

Clearly, Labour Day is not only a day to commemorate the struggles and victories of the past, but even more importantly, to rededicate ourselves to addressing the many barriers that stand between workers and their right to dignity and fair treatment. This isn’t just a fight for workers and their families, this is a fight that affects and benefits everyone. It’s time we built an economy together that works for us all.

What are the effects of job loss on my family? Job loss is one of the greatest trials we can endure. The effects of job loss are often long lasting. This is largely due to the fact that society trains us to identify ourselves by how we provide for our family. A job loss can lead to the loss of one’s identity, which can result in loss of a purpose in life. Without a purpose in life, we tend to feel as if we are no longer in control. Also a loss of self-worth and self-confidence is common among people who have suffered a job loss. These are all natural and ordinary feelings. With this loss of identity, you must now assess the financial loss. Your family must cope with less income. Job loss can create an atmosphere of despair and a defeatist attitude among many individuals. Evading this attitude is vital.

When negative attitudes sink into your life, they are difficult to remove. Job loss has obvious immediate results. But the most damaging effect of a job loss is the slippery slope it generates. The situation goes from bad to worse. With less income, luxury items are difficult to afford and this can lead to difficulty in attaining a new job, and possibly even a broken family. This results in despair and a defeatist attitude. Finding re-employment is vital, and with the negative effects a job loss brings, this can be difficult.

We need prompt and coordinated government action to avert a social crisis that could be severe and long lasting.

Work provides an opportunity for each of us to show that we are images of God. Why? This is because God is Creator and we, every woman and man, show forth God’s image when we continue creation through our work, our labour, our engagement in shaping our Zambia of the future. The dignity of work must be recognised with more secure employment, just wages and safe conditions.

May Day has continued to be an opportunity for workers to parade carrying posters, banners, in the hope of satisfying those demands or some of those demands.

May Day in this country is, actually, today a mockery for the workers. Next year, as they did last year, they will have to return once again carrying the same posters, banners with the same demands.

Nothing that the workers attained was granted to them graciously. Anything they attained was granted to them only after a grueling fight, after strikes demanding wage increases. The workers know they have to fight. The worker has to keep up a constant fight in order to obtain some small benefit in this economic order. He has to fight so that his most elemental rights are respected.

Therefore, every May Day, they have to come carrying their demands. What else can they do? The worker knows that what he doesn’t do for himself, nobody else will do it for him. The worker knows that what he doesn’t win by his own work, nobody will win it for him. The worker always works for others. He does his own work and the work of others. But nobody ever works for him. He gives everything with generosity, he gives his sweat and his energy. He gives his life. He gives to everybody, but to him nobody ever gives anything. What he doesn’t do for himself, nobody will ever do it for him. Even those he elects to govern for him instead govern against him. Despite his work for others in our national life, he neither governs nor counts for anything. He is not taken into account. This is the situation the worker finds himself in.

Clearly, there is no sensible alternative for the worker but to struggle and ensure that his rights are respected. And to do so requires a well organised and united trade union movement in the country. It is only a well organised and united workers’ movement that will be able to deal with this situation and coordinate the workers to fight back. And this is more so important in our situation today because the growing might of multinationals and transnational corporations and the imposition of policies of neoliberal globalisation have led to an unprecedented large scale offensive against the democratic and social achievements of Zambian workers and against the trade union movement in this country.

Labels: JOBLOSSES, LABOUR

posted by MrK @ 1:52 PM