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Strikes are avoidable - ZCTU

Strikes are avoidable - ZCTU
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Thu 12 Jan. 2012, 13:47 CAT

MOST of the strikes by workers could be avoided if employers enter into genuine negotiations with union leaders, says a labour leader.

Supporting labour, youth and sport minister Fackson Shamenda's call that employers should take workers' demands seriously in order to curb industrial work stoppages, Zambia Congress of Trade Unions director for public relations and international affairs Martin Chembe said in most cases, employers had kept away vital information from the negotiating team which delayed negotiations and angered workers.

"By being genuine, we mean employers must give reasonable salary increments to workers instead of starting negotiations with very low proposed wage increases. Workers have for a long time toiled under difficult conditions and we urge employers to appreciate labour by awarding meaningful wage increases which would improve the welfare of workers," Chembe said.

He said employers should realise that only a motivated labour force could be productive and that companies would experience less work stoppages if workers were happy with their wages and conditions of work.

Chembe said it was common to find workers in most manufacturing companies performing their duties without appropriate protective clothing.

He said this was not fair because employers were playing with people's lives and they must realise that any loss of life among employees was costly to the company.

Chembe said poor wages and conditions of work were a recipe for strike action especially that most workers were expectant and looking forward to better remuneration in line with the new government's election promises.

He said trade unions would work with the Ministry of Labour, Youth and Sport in supporting employers that were doing everything possible to improve the welfare of employees.

Chembe said the unions and the government were fully aware of the deplorable wages some workers had been subjected to and with the political will that had been exhibited by the new administration.

"We expect employers to do the right thing if the situation is to be addressed," Chembe said.

He called for calm among workers and advised them to give social dialogue a chance to resolve some of these problems.

Chembe said the task of transforming society requires concerted efforts from all quarters and this would be difficult to achieve in an environment of continuous strikes.

Labels: FACKSON SHAMENDA, ZCTU

posted by MrK @ 6:58 PM