Maravi

Hikaumba bemoans government workers’ delayed negotiations

Hikaumba bemoans government workers’ delayed negotiations
Written by George Zulu in Monze
Monday, October 12, 2009 7:46:58 AM

ZAMBIA Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) president Leonard Hikaumba has expressed worry over the delay by the government to sanction the negotiations of improved conditions of service for government workers. In an interview in Monze, Hikaumba said the move taken by government to remain silent on the issue of negotiations for improved conditions of service was a source of concern and conflict for Zambian workers.

“The future of a Zambian worker is questionable, is bleak. It does not give hope for the better government workers,” he said.

Hikaumba said ZCTU was alive to the fact that the government had been going through a lot of economic problems with huge demands for improved road infrastructure, schools and health facilities but added that the workers also needed improved working conditions because they had sacrificed for a long time.

He said the government had failed to award workers significantly since 1991 when the MMD took over power and introduced economic restructuring programmes which he said impacted negatively on government workers and the general populace.

“Government had to restrict the improved conditions of service in order to improve the country’s economy. There was an issue of external debt which was quite high, workers had to sacrifice again in order for government to realise the benefit of HIPC but alas, we have not seen any benefits in terms of improved conditions of service apart from being told to continue sacrificing,” Hikaumba said. “There were so many other programmes that government had put in place to improve the economy of the country at the expense of improving the conditions of service of government workers throughout the country and workers sacrificed.”

Hikaumba said workers were only asking the government to consider responding to the sacrifice they had made since Independence and reduce the brain drain the country had continued to experience as it was a mockery to the nation.

“It has become a mockery to the country’s economy. Unfortunately there has been no agreement towards the increase and improved conditions of service because the negotiations have not yet started,” said Hikaumba.

Labels: LEONARD HIKAUMBA, ZCTU

posted by MrK @ 6:47 AM