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Ex-Chambishi smelter workers complain over unpaid gratuities

Ex-Chambishi smelter workers complain over unpaid gratuities
By Darious Kapembwa in Kitwe
Thu 14 Apr. 2011, 04:13 CAT

DISMISSED workers at Chambishi Copper Smelter have complained that they have not been paid their gratuities for the 2009-2010 contracts.

In a walk-in interview at The Post newspapers in Kitwe yesterday, one of the former workers Kelvin Phiri complained that they had not been paid what they worked for after their contracts expired last November.

Phiri accused the National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) of negligence because they allegedly sided with the employers.

“Our union is compromised because no matter how much we complain, nothing comes to fruition, so we have nowhere to go because government is worse. I have had my contract terminated without being paid what was signed in the collective agreement between the union and management, so maybe you The Post can help us inform the world how we are living in our own country,” complained Phiri.

But NUMAW general secretary Goodwell Kaluba said he was not aware of those that have not been paid their gratuities.

“Are those the ones that have been fired?” Kaluba asked. “ But all the same I am not aware of people not getting their gratuities. What I know is that those that received their gratuities but they were contending that their monies were under calculated, they came here and I advised them to bring their pay-slips so that we go through but they have not come back,” said Kaluba.

Labels: CHAMBISHI COPPER SMELTER, LABOUR, MINERS

posted by MrK @ 6:21 PM