Govt should compel foreign investors to join employers’ federation – ZCTU

Govt should compel foreign investors to join employers’ federation – ZCTU
By Mutale Kapekele
Sat 19 Dec. 2009, 04:01 CAT

ZAMBIA Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) general secretary Roy Mwaba has said the government should introduce a statute that will compel foreign investors to join the federation of employers.

And labour minister Austin Liato has advised the trade union not to be used for political campaigns by opposition parties.

During the launch of the trade union’s policy on working conditions in the public sector, Mwaba wondered why the government was so “loud” on statutory regulation of the media when Chinese investors were abusing workers’ rights without regulation.

“The government and the President in particular has come out strongly on media regulation,” Mwaba said. “The same should be done with employers who are always abusing labour laws. Some of these employers interpret and implement labour laws that suit them. The Chinese are not part of the federation of employers, so how are they going to be regulated if they don’t join?”

He expressed concern about the lack of implementation of labour laws especially when it involved Chinese investors.

“The government should be serious when deciding who can come and invest because we can’t have people coming to open butcheries and buying livestock in Monze then pretend to be investors,” Mwaba said. “Some Chinese investors are genuine but most of them worry us with their trends of disobeying labour laws. When you talk to them about labour laws they even pretend not to understand English but when it comes to money, they are able to communicate. Some are even beating their workers.”

He said while the Chinese were welcome to invest, they should be made accountable when they disregard the law.

“Why should we be dancing to the tune of foreigners when it is supposed to be the other way round?” Mwaba said.

“In fact, the government should consider translating the employment Act and labour laws into Chinese. Better still, these people should be compelled to learn English. Why should we dance to their dictates? We should be at par with them and give them our conditions that they should respect just like we would be expected to do if we went to invest in their country.”

He said the ruling MMD should carry out the promises of their manifesto on social security and job creation.

“The MMD manifesto is okay but the implementation leaves a lot to be desired.” Mwaba said. “After 20 years of being in power we are yet to see the jobs they promised to create and improvement of social security.”

Mwaba warned of strikes next year if the government did not improve conditions of service for civil servants.

“The government has not moved an inch in the bargaining process that is ongoing when they already know what is in the budget,” Mwaba said.

“They government are just wasting time. If you are not careful, you will see worse than the strikes that we had this year. You should take social dialogue seriously because this country should not be taken as the horse and the rider. When the tune is nice, you want to dance on your own but when things are bad you want us to join you.”

But Liato said the Chinese had stood by Africa in difficult times and the labour movement in particular.

“China has always been on our side at difficult moments not just for Zambia but the whole Africa,” Liato said.

“If you look at the history of trade unions, you will realise that China has stood by you in solidarity. But I do agree that there are certain trends that Chinese investors have exhibited that should be stopped.”

He said the government would consider coming up with a law that compelled all employers to join the federation of employers’ if need be.

“In every situation, there is good and bad. So not all Chinese investors are bad just like not all Zambian investors are good,” Liato said. “What we need to do is engage all employers in meaningful social dialogue. This is not time for politicking but if need be we shall introduce a law that will require all of them to join the federation of employers.”

Liato warned the labour movement not to be used by opposition political parties for political gains.

“Some opposition political party leaders are mistreating their workers but as we move towards 2011, they will tempt you to put final blows to the government,” he said.

“Don’t listen to their simple statements because things are not as bad as they seem. Some of them even promise to put money in people’s pockets, where will those funds come from.”

Liato hailed the labour movement for coming up with a policy document on working conditions and hoped that it would be respected.