Maravi

Zesco casual workers protest

Zesco casual workers protest
By Henry Sinyangwe
Tue 20 Nov. 2012, 12:00 CAT

CASUAL employees at Zesco yesterday protested, demanding improved working conditions and permanent employment.

A police officer had to fire a blank shot to calm the protestors, who attempted to block the entrance to the utility's head office in Lusaka. The workers downed tools a few months ago after they protested for the same reason.

The workers yesterday demanded to know why their wages were reduced from about K1.4 million to about K800,000 despite the introduction of the Statutory Instrument number 46 on the minimum wage.

They also demanded permanent jobs, some of them saying they had worked for the utility for over five years on contract basis.

But Zesco acting managing director Christopher Mubemba clarified that the institution could not employ all the workers on permanent basis as some projects bwere eing carried out seasonally.

He said the company was also reducing the labour cost in all the categories which he said had been high.

"Our key strategy is to reduce the labour cost, which is very high. It is not only in the casual category of employees but all categories of staff. There are issues to do with travel, subsistence allowances," Mubemba said.

"With reference to the casual staff, we have been paying them for the actual hours that they work, previously, the practice had been, if they get on the truck, go to a site and come back at 18:00 hours, they would be paid for all the hours that they are out, but what we are saying is that they should only be paid for the number of hours that they actually work."

He said Zesco was a commercial company that needed to take necessary precautions before employing.

"We are a commercial company and we have to try and balance and see if we can take on such a number of people. They are normally working on a project or seasonal work, say cutting the grass. We hire the employees and we lay them off. Imagine if we have to take on 5,000 people every year, it is not possible. But for those with a minimum qualification, we offer them better contracts," said Mubemba.

Labels: CASUALISATION, ZESCO

posted by MrK @ 5:51 PM