Maravi

Retrenched Zamtel workers threaten to stage demo over dues

Retrenched Zamtel workers threaten to stage demo over dues
By Abigail Chaponda in Ndola
Thu 09 Sep. 2010, 04:00 CAT

RETRENCHED Zamtel workers in Ndola have charged that President Rupiah Banda has no heart for them. And the workers have given Zamtel management a 24-hour ultimatum to pay them their money, failure to which they will stage a demonstration.

During a meeting at Provident House on Tuesday, the workers who gathered to inquire about their money from management said they wanted to be told where the government had taken the money from Lap Green.

Addressing the irate workers, one of the retrenched staffers Chiyobwe Mwape said the former workers were ready to take on anyone who wanted to question them for asking for their money because they worked for it.

“We are here because we want to find out why we have not been paid up to now. We want to know why our money has delayed. In Ndola 620 people have been retrenched and only 20 people have been paid, why?” Mwape said. “People who are supposed to give information concerning our monies have even stopped answering their phones.”

When Mwape asked for suggestions, one of the former employees said the process of payments was selective and only those with connections had been paid.
“The people that have been retained and a good example is the wife to the acting human resource manager. He paid the wife and retained her…we want our money,” she said.

She said Zamtel management did not have regard for the law and was doing everything with impunity.

Mwape then suggested that the ex-workers petition President Banda, but most of them asked him which President he was talking about because the country did not have a President.

“Which President are you talking about? We are not interested in petitioning the President you are talking about. President Rupiah Banda has no human face, he has no heart for Zamtel workers and we will see who is going to vote for him,” one worker was heard saying.

“We have given management a 24-hour ultimatum to pay us our money or we will demonstrate. You talk about petitioning Rupiah Banda, stop joking. Maybe he is even out of the country. Some people are getting K5 million as retrenchment package. That is just Rupiah Banda’s son pocket money.

That man has no heart.”
The workers accused President Banda of being heartless, saying the country did not have a President because if it did, he would have allowed transparency in the sale of the telecommunications company to Lap Green.

The workers called on all opposition political parties to help them fight for their benefits.

Labels: CHIYOBE MWAPE, CORRUPTION, LABOUR, LAP GREEN, PRIVATISATION, SALARIES, ZAMTEL

posted by MrK @ 7:37 AM