Monday, June 15, 2009

NUPAW condemns deployment of armed police at KASCO in Mazabuka

NUPAW condemns deployment of armed police at KASCO in Mazabuka
Written by Henry Chibulu in Mazabuka
Monday, June 15, 2009 2:59:19 PM

THE National Union of Plantation and Agriculture Workers (NUPAW) has condemned the deployment of armed police at Kaleya Smallholders Company (KASCO) in Mazabuka to quell any possible violence by the protesting unionised workers who have refused to receive new reduced salaries.

The workers have been protesting against the decision taken by management to reduce their salaries by 80 per cent after the board of directors decided to sign a collective agreement with the Zambia Federation of Employers Association (ZFEA).

NUPAW president, Kalilakwenda Mudenda yesterday condemned the decision taken by management and said the demonstration by workers was peaceful and did not pose any threat to management or company property.

''The protest by the workers did not warrant that huge police presence because it was peaceful and none of the workers carried machetes to fight management staff. Imagine police did not know what to do because they were being used to deal with law abiding workers who were merely requesting management not to pay them slavery wages but decent ones,'' said Mudenda.

Mudenda said the huge police presence was meant to intimidate the workers and force them to receive the reduced salaries.

He observed that management should realise that the use of force on a demotivated workforce would only slow production and plunge the company into serious operational problems.

Mudenda urged KASCO management to support industrial harmony by addressing concerns raised by the workers to foster production.

He regretted that the advice given by Labour Commissioner, Noah Siansimuna on the need for both company management and NUPAW to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on how to vary the seven conditions of service had gone unheeded.

Mudenda said most workers at KASCO would fail to send their children to school because their salaries have been reduced by 80 per cent after management decided to sign collective agreement with ZFEA.

Last Thursday, irate workers locked out management to vent their anger over its failure to heed to their demands.

Labels: , , , , ,


Read more...

posted by MrK @ 1:56 PM 0 Comments

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Kaleya Smallholders workers protest over 80% salary reduction

Kaleya Smallholders workers protest over 80% salary reduction
Written by Henry Chibulu in Mazabuka
Sunday, May 31, 2009 11:28:06 PM

OVER 200 unionised workers at Kaleya Smallholders in Mazabuka yesterday protested against the reduction of their monthly salaries by 80 per cent under the new collective agreement signed between management and the union.

National Union of Plantation Workers president, Kalilamukwenda Mudenda yesterday said the protest by the workers was justified considering the fact that management had decided to increase its salaries by 15 per cent.

He said unionised workers who previously received K 1.5 million were now getting K338, 000 while those that received K 478,000 were now getting K 260,000.

Mudenda, who has described the move taken by management as an act of savage capitalism which focuses on maximising profits and reducing on expenses, warned management that the move would affect production as workers had vowed not to resume work until their grievances were addressed.

He said the affected workers, who were seasonal, had vowed not to receive the new salaries which were approved by the Zambia Federation for Employees Association (ZFEA), an association which negotiates for farm workers.

Mudenda said management at Kaleya Smallholders Company (KASCO) would be held responsible for the industrial unrest that had rocked the company because of selfishness.

Mudenda said Kaleya Smallholders Company was a viable company which was making huge profits, adding that it did not make sense for a viable company to reduce wages for its employees.

He criticised management for refusing to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with his union on the need to safeguard the existing conditions of services that were being enjoyed by staff that were not provided for by ZFEA as directed by the ministry of labour.

Meanwhile, Mudenda disclosed that the workers had applied for a police permit to hold a peaceful demonstration against the reduced salaries by KASCO management.

Efforts by ZANIS to get a comment from company general manager, Solomon Njovu, failed as security personnel barred the press from entering the company offices.

Labels: , , ,


Read more...

posted by MrK @ 10:31 PM 0 Comments