Maravi

MUZ should fight for workers rights, urges Lishika

COMMENT - " Recently, Ministry of Justice permanent secretary Mbololwa Muyaba said the government had no money to pay the former Mpelembe Drilling workers. " Then they better start taxing the mines and collect the dividends that are due to ZCCM-IH. They will have more than enough money to pay all their bills.

MUZ should fight for workers rights, urges Lishika
By Brina Manenga
Sun 05 Feb. 2012, 12:59 CAT

MINEWORKERS Union of Zambia chairman Geoffrey Lishika says he is disappointed with the government's statement that it does not have money to pay former Mpelembe Drilling workers. And Lishika says the union executive members have been dormant, adding that it was time they woke up and fought for the rights of the workers they represented.

"This is unfair because the K8 billion we are requesting is something that we worked for. That money is something that will help the workers start a better life for themselves," said Lishika in an interview.

"So if this government comes today and says it has no money to pay Mpelembe Drilling workers then we are worried. I talked to information minister Fackson Shamenda who stated that there is a committee that has been set by the President to look into the issue. We have not seen anything from that committee that involves the Ministry of Labour, Justice, Mines and Finance."

He said the challenges that former Mpelembe Drilling workers were facing should not be politicised.

"Every government that comes says they will do this and that but because they are not part of the problems we are going through, they cannot feel the pain. The 1,800 ex-workers cannot even send their children to school, but our leaders are sending their children to good schools abroad. It is unfair," he said.

On the union executive, Lishika said: "I have my superiors in the union but I do not know why they are remaining silent. They were not put in the offices just to negotiate salaries. We are expecting our executives to come in and make sure that they salvage the workers but they are doing literally nothing, they need to wake up."

Lishika urged MUZ president Oswell Munyenyembe to work for the benefit of the miners.

Recently, Ministry of Justice permanent secretary Mbololwa Muyaba said the government had no money to pay the former Mpelembe Drilling workers.

Labels: MUZ, OSWELL MUNYENYEMBE

posted by MrK @ 4:38 PM