Munyenyembe warns KCM chief against stubbornness

Munyenyembe warns KCM chief against stubbornness
By Zumani Katasefa in Kitwe
Sat 26 Dec. 2009, 04:00 CAT

MINE Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) secretary general Oswell Munyenyembe has warned Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) chief executive officer Kishore Khumar against being stubborn to the workers.

Munyenyembe said it was sad that Khumar was always stubborn to the workers and the union, and warned him that if he continues to do so, he may put his job at risk.

"If he continues to be stubborn and stops listening to us, he will find his job in flames. He says he has support from government, but is it the government that goes underground or it is the workers?" he asked.

Munyenyembe said each time the union wanted to engage in dialogue with Khumar, he always turned them away.

"Khumar wants to take what is happening at KCM to every mining house, like the issue of the three per cent salary increment. We shall not allow this situation. We believe in dialogue.

Each time we call him for dialogue he does not want that. He thinks he can get support from the government. We as the union we are there to protect the workers," he said.

Munyenyembe also said that the union was disappointed with the high number of expatriates at KCM.

"During ZCCM we had 100 expatriates in the country but today KCM has 169 expatriates," Munyenyembe.

He wondered why KCM could employ expatriate mine surveyors and accountants as expatriates, when the competent Zambians were just loafing.

Meanwhile Munyenyembe disclosed that a miner died at Mopani Copper Mine's central shaft in the early hours of Thursday.

Munyenyembe named the deceased as Damson Mwansa.
"He died after a rock fall at 2140 meters level, he was 47," said Munyenyembe.