Call for closure of Collum Coal Mine
By Mubanga Luchembe
Thu 04 Nov. 2010, 03:59 CAT
Editor,
I cannot help responding in support of the National Union of Commercial and Industrial Workers (NUCIW) deputy general secretary in charge of finance and administration Adams Chipeta for having demanded the closure of Collum Coal Mine pending resolution of all unresolved safety, health, financial, legal and compensation concerns.
Locals who were not shocked by the shooting of about 11 Zambians working for this Chinese-owned mine in Sinazongwe, perhaps, do not understand Chinese investment in Zambia at all. China, contrary to MMD’s official claims, does attach conditions to its investments. For instance, the profits are externalised, leaving the locals poorer and empty-handed. The working conditions are also terrible. Unlike the MMD ruling elite who enjoy all the deal outcomes, the rest of ordinary Zambians languish in abject poverty.
Albeit the close ties between Zambia and China go back decades, today Zambia is not only the destination for an ever-increasing number of Chinese goods, but also its nationals – doctors, farmers, engineers, shop owners and market traders among others.
Not only are the Chinese seen as killing local businesses, but their commitment to health and safety regulations is questionable.
Medicines are labelled in Mandarin in breach of Zambian health legislation. These are immoral and harmful things which ordinary Zambians must all stand up against.
Let us be clear, Chinese do not treat locals as human beings. To the Chinese, locals do not deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.
So what is to be done? Calls for closure of Collum Coal Mine are justified and must be heed. But structural change is also needed and educating the Chinese managers in local labour, health and safety regulations - with great emphasis that Zambian workers deserve to be treated with respect and dignity.
Yes, Zambian workers should be taught that Chinese migration can also be a positive force for economic growth. After all, Zambia’s relative success can, in part, be attributed to the arrival of skilled, entrepreneurial labour from China.
Still, without saying much, the response to Chipeta’s demand must come quickly and decisively from the MMD leadership.
Failure to do so could mean that union and government leaders will be fire-fighting Chinese-related labour disputes at Collum Coal Mine and other Chinese-owned businesses for some time to come.
Mubanga Luchembe,
Lusaka
Labels: ADAMS CHIPETA, CHINESE COLLUM COAL MINE, MUBANGA LUCHEMBE, NUCIW
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Collum mine heeds directive to improve working conditions
By Sandra Lombe, Chiwoyu Sinyangwe and Darius Kapambwe
Tue 02 Nov. 2010, 03:59 CAT
THE Chinese management at Collum Coal Mine in Sinazongwe have complied with the government’s ultimatum to improve working conditions for the workers.
And the Mine Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) is today expected to sign a collective agreement with the owners of Collum Coal Mine in Sinazongwe to help improve working conditions.
Meanwhile, National Union of Commercial and Industrial Workers (NUCIW) deputy general secretary in charge of finance and administration Adams Chipeta has demanded the closure of Collum Coal Mine pending resolution of all the unresolved safety concerns.
The government recently gave the mine management an ultimatum to improve the conditions of service for the workers by October 30, 2010 following the shooting of 11 employees after they protested over poor conditions of service.
Speaking yesterday at provincial minister Elijah Muchima’s office, Shaft Three director Xu Jianrui said they would abide by the government's directive.
“We shall follow the law of Zambia,” he said.
He said management would also help the injured miners.
“This story shooting incident is first and the last one...No more. We can promise,” he said.
Xu said they would change the design of the mine so that water from their operations did not go into the stream.
“We will put affordable toilets underground to keep it clean,” said Xu.
And Muchima said he was happy that Collum mine management had complied with the directive.
“Our colleagues the Chinese directors at the mine have complied with the orders and are now working with the Ministry of Labour on conditions and they have agreed to comply with the conditions and health,” he said.
“But I was not happy with the director Xu; he nearly refused to come to our office. I have mentioned he should not confuse our provincial administration. He has apologised and said they will oblige,” he said.
Muchima said the government had enjoyed good relations with China for a long time.
“We are people of laws and we have to abide. They have to make the environment conducive...underground toilets to make it safe for the miners, including uniforms. They are going to comply by all laws, labour, health, mines. We want to make sure they are not to blame for cholera outbreak. We shall have our eye on this mine,” he said. “Other companies are doing well in the province. I was at Fallsway Timber. The conditions are excellent; their workers are getting between K295,000 and K3.5 million. There is water, lunch allowance, gender balance.”
And Muchima said the injured miners were being looked after and given food.
“They are working on a package. The pupil will be supported in his education for three years and make sure he is strong and fit,” he said.
“We are happy they have taken steps. People will be paid according to the law.”
Muchima said he would visit the mine on November 13 to check on the situation and the victims.
“I wanted to go tomorrow today but they are finalising with labour office. Politicians should not get a mile out of it. It’s something that happened which is unfortunate,” said Muchima.
And MUZ general secretary Oswell Munyenyembe said the union wanted to step in to help improve the conditions of service at the mine which had been characterised by low pay and lax safety standards.
Munyenyembe said the signing of the collective agreement would enable MUZ to represent the miners at the Sinazongwe-based coal mine.
“We had a tripartite meeting with the Labour Commissioner, the Chinese and ourselves; that was on Thursday last week,” Munyenyembe said. “So, we came with the proposal that we want our members there to join. So, we are going back to Lusaka on Tuesday to sign the collective agreement.”
Currently, two Chinese mine managers – Xiao Li Shan and Wu Jiu Hua – of Collum Coal Mine are appearing before courts after they allegedly shot and injured 12 miners who were protesting against their working conditions on October 15.
The two have been charged with attempted murder.
And Munyenyembe said some Chinese-operated mines still subjected Zambian workers to “very pathetic” working conditions.
“Some mines, the conditions are worse… the reason is that we are not there,” said Munyenyemba.
“Where we have been recognised as representative of the workers, we have improved the conditions of service, but where the Chinese were reluctant to accept us, we took them to court; the court ruled in our favour but still can’t recognise us and we have taken them back to court.”
And in an interview in Kitwe, Chipeta said Collum mine operations must be suspended for stakeholders to resolve issues.
He said workers’ safety concerns and conditions of service had been outstanding for a long time.
Chipeta said the government failed to act when former Southern Province minister Alice Simango openly wept when the Chinese were sending miners to work under ground without protective clothing.
And Chipeta said the form of compensation to Collum mine shooting victims should be treated differently because the miners were not injured in the process of carrying out their duties but deliberately shot at by frightened managers.
“This is criminal and the perpetrators of that violence must be declared criminals before anyone is compensated. And we want to see the wheels of justice to be moving in this matter because if this (shooting) was committed in China by a Zambian, right now death sentences could have been passed,” Chipeta said.
He demanded that the compensations be made public and should not be treated with secrecy.
Chipeta accused the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions of not doing anything to advocate justice for the injured miners.
“As a congress, there is totally nothing they have done; it’s priorities are upside down. This is why we are calling for regime change in the congress because how can they be busy commenting on unrelated issues when issues that are directly bordering on its core values are going unchecked by the congress?” asked Chipeta.
Labels: CHINESE COLLUM COAL MINE, LABOUR, MINERS, NUCIW
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COMMENT - What uncorrupted union leader would call for the priviatisation of a company, which is certain to lead to joblosses at the company? Corruption.
Union leader urges govt to expedite NCZ privatisation
By Florence Bupe
Sun 31 Oct. 2010, 04:00 CAT
A trade unionist has called on the government to hasten the privatisation of Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ).
In an interview, National Union of Commercial and Industrial Workers (NUCIW) president Seth Paradza said the government should allow the E
gyptian company that has expressed interest in investing in the fertiliser manufacturing plant to go ahead if the plant has to survive.
Paradza charged that the government was dragging its feet on the privatisation process and warned that NCZ risked falling into deeper liabilities the longer it stayed under government hands.
“In our view, the Egyptian company has shown seriousness in investing in NCZ. We are disappointed that the Zambia Development Agency is saying they are still waiting for other proposals. There is really no need if the company that has expressed interest is viable,” he said.
Earlier this week, Egyptian Ambassador Salah El Sadek disclosed that a named Egyptian company who had come to assess the viability of NCZ was satisfied and willing to immediately take over the operations of the plant.
El Sadek said the company had already submitted a proposal to ZDA for the takeover of NCZ, but ZDA communications manager Margaret Chimanse said the agency is still receiving proposals from corporations interested in taking over NCZ.
And Paradza has disclosed that former NCZ workers are owed about K15 billion in retirement benefits for the period 2008 to date.
He said this figure is likely to go up if the privatisation process is not speeded up.
“In 2008, government came in to settle the K40 billion that was owed workers, but since 2008, about K15 billion has accumulated in unpaid benefits to former workers. There are also other statutory obligations that need to be taken care of,” said Paradza.
Labels: CORRUPTION, NCZ, NEOLIBERALISM, NUCIW, PRIVATISATION, SETH PARADZA, TRADE UNIONS
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NUCIW condemns govt stance on fertiliser tenders
By Florence Bupe
Sat 27 Mar. 2010, 04:00 CAT
THE National Union of Commercial and Industrial Workers (NUCIW) has condemned the government’s stance on the awarding of tenders for the supply of fertiliser to Omnia and Nyiombo Investments over the past seven years.
Commenting on concerns raised by the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that the government has been favouring the two companies in the awarding of contracts to supply fertiliser meant for peasant farmers under the Farmers Input Support Programme (FISP), union president Seth Paradza said he could not agree more with the committee.
He said it was surprising that Omnia and Nyiombo had continued to be the only suppliers of fertiliser even after proof had been shown that Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ) had the capacity to produce higher grade fertiliser at a lower cost.
“We agree with the PAC chair Emmanuel Hachipuka on the worries that only two companies have been awarded the fertiliser supply contracts for the past seven years. There is clearly something sinister happening behind the scenes,” he said.
Paradza said the NCZ technical team had convened a meeting with former agriculture minister Dr Brian Chituwo at which the concern in question was raised.
“We had challenged Dr Chituwo to give us an explanation on how the two companies have continued to be picked to supply fertiliser when there was actually a season in which they failed to deliver 100 per cent of what was required,” Paradza said.
“Dr Chituwo expressed surprise as well and told us it could be because Nyiombo and Omnia were smarter than the rest of us (NCZ).”
Paradza described the explanations given to PAC by agriculture authorities as annoying, unsatisfactory and untrue.
He disclosed that another meeting was held with the ministry director of agribusiness Green Mboozi on February 23 this year to try and resolve NCZ’s production impasse.
“We had a meeting on February 23 with the director- agribusiness at which we made comparisons between the imported fertiliser and the locally produced one. It was proved that comparatively, our fertiliser quality was higher and cost effective. I don’t, therefore, see why government can’t work towards strengthening the capacity of NCZ instead of undercutting the institution,” he noted.
Paradza said if the financial muscle of NCZ was strengthened, the manufacturing plant would be able to produce and supply fertiliser to the government, and ultimately create employment for local people.
And Isoka West member of parliament Paul Sichamba disclosed that there was an existing cartel by Omnia and Nyiombo against any other company to bring in fertiliser from Saudi Arabia.
“We are aware the Omnia and Nyiombo have arrived at a decision that no other Zambian company can import fertiliser from Saudi Arabia for sale here in Zambia. I would like to urge the ministry of agriculture to look into this matter so that we break the monopoly of fertiliser supply that do not benefit the country at all,” said Sichamba.
Earlier this week, PAC questioned the government’s continued awarding of contracts to supply fertiliser under FISP to Nyiombo and Omnia annually for the past seven years.
Hachipuka said it was worrying that the government had continually awarded contracts to the two companies despite the unfavourable conditions attached.
Hachipuka said the trend was holding Zambians to ransom and suffocating agriculture efforts.
In response to the concerns, agriculture permanent secretary Dr Abednigo Banda claimed that the two companies continued getting the tenders for the fertiliser supply because they were the only ones that had been meeting the tender requirements through the years.
This comment unsettled Lukashya member of parliament Alfrida Mwamba who said it was impossible that Omnia and Nyiombo should be the only ones meeting the tender requirements for so many years without other players learning the ropes.
Labels: FISP, NUCIW, PROCUREMENT SYSTEMS
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Shoprite management agrees to give workers pension scheme
Written by Ernest Chanda in Lusaka and Zumani Katasefa in Kitwe
Thursday, August 13, 2009 1:59:35 PM
SHOPRITE-ZAMBIA management has agreed to give its employees a pension scheme based on local conditions as demanded by the workers. National Union for Commercial and Industrial Workers (NUCIW) general secretary John Bwalya confirmed in an interview yesterday that Shoprite Group chief executive officer Whiteney Basson who had a meeting with labour minister Austin Liato agreed to the workersí demands.
“We met with the minister, Honourable Austin Liato and his deputy Simon Kachimba, accompanied by officials from the Labour Commissioner’s office. Shoprite Group chief executive officer Mr Basson was very cooperative and weíve agreed to calculate the pension based on the number of years a person has worked. The scheme will be worked out at our local rate of 2.5 months per year served,” said Bwalya.
“Right now we are waiting for a Memorandum of Understanding which we shall sign at about 13:00 hours. This pension scheme is expected to start working on the 1st of September, 2009. And Shoprite management will be transferring these monies to the pension scheme every month.”
And earlier before management and the union reached an agreement on the workersí conditions, Shoprite employees in Kitwe vowed not to resume work until their grievances are met by their management.
A check at Shoprite Kitwe branch located on Matuka Road yesterday morning found workers seated while displaying placards denouncing management.
The workers also urged the government to seriously intervene in the matter and ensure that conditions of service for Zambian workers were improved.
They said the cost of living in Zambia was too high and management should not subject them to the conditions of their counterparts in South Africa.
Labels: AUSTIN LIATO, LABOUR, NUCIW, SHOPRITE, WHITENEY BASSON
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Shoprite workers stage another countrywide protest
Written by Ernest Chanda
Tuesday, August 11, 2009 5:26:33 PM
SHOPRITE-ZAMBIA workers have today staged a countrywide protest over poor conditions of service barely three weeks after they again withdrew labour. And National Union for Commercial and Industrial Workers (NUCIW) general secretary John Bwalya confirmed the development in an interview, saying the action was meant to push for a better insurance scheme for all Shoprite Zambia workers.
According to sources from all Shoprite outlets in the country, they have decided to stay away from work until they are given a pension scheme with conditions as stipulated by the Zambian labour laws.
At Manda Hill and Town Centre outlets in Lusaka, scores of workers carried mock coffins and chanted solidarity slogans and sang gospel songs as they also danced around within the premises.
In Mansa, Shoprite workers also vowed not to go back to work until their demands were met.
One union official said the matter affected everyone in Zambia including management.
“This is not just about us the junior employees, even management are affected. It affects them because their pensions will also be calculated at South African rates which are a mockery by our standards. Today we are expecting Shoprite Group chief executive officer Whiteney Bason into the country to address the issue,” he said.
And according to a union official from Mandal Hill branch who sought anonymity, the entire Shoprite workforce in the country is demanding an insurance scheme that that was in line with the existing Zambian labour laws.
“This protest is likely to go on for some time if management does not grant our demands. The last time we held a one day protest in some selected outlets we were promised that management would look into our plight. The problem is not with Shoprite-Zambia management. The problem is with our headquarters in South Africa where they give us conditions based on their laws, the source said.
“Fort example, we’ve been demanding that our insurance scheme should be calculated according to our local conditions of two and half months per year. But people from headquarters are putting us on South African conditions of 0.5 months per year; this is unacceptable!”
The source said labour deputy minister Simon Kachimba’s earlier intervention could not yield results.
“When the ministry of labour intervened in this issue over three weeks ago they gave Shoprite a one week ultimatum to sort out this issue. Then from there the [labour] deputy minister [Simon Kachimba] said on a Wednesday we can meet and conclude everything, that wasn’t done. The today everything was supposed to have been concluded as said by the minister,” the source explained.
“But Shoprite management as usual has backed out and just sent a letter to the minister saying we are unable to come. And the reason they are putting on their letter is not all that concrete because they were giving the excuse that Monday is a holiday in South Africa, so they couldn’t meet the minister. We’ve talking about the pension issue for years now and now our members are saying even the minister is dragging his feet. So, we have no option but to go on a countrywide protest. Perhaps we can be understood this time by the powers that be.”
And Bwalya said the workers have been incensed by the delay to implement their pension scheme.
“Yes, it is true that all Shoprite Zambia workers have started a countrywide protest over their delayed pension scheme. Their demand is that the rate at which the scheme is being calculated is very small. The Zambian management is cooperative, but the problem is coming from the headquarters in South Africa. The people responsible there don’t want to be coopersative and yet it’s an issue that affects every Shoprite Zambia employee, including those in management.” said Bwalya.
Efforts to get a comment from Shoprite Zambia deputy managing director Charles Bota failed as his phone was just ringing.
Three weeks ago Shoprite workers in selected outlets across the country staged a one day sit-in protest to push for increased salaries and improved conditions of service.
Labels: NUCIW, SHOPRITE, STRIKE
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NUCIW opposes proposal to amend mines, minerals Act
Written by Florence Bupe
Sunday, March 22, 2009 4:42:00 AM
THE National Union of Commercial and Industrial Workers (NUCIW) has criticised the Ministry of Mines’ proposal to amend the mines and minerals Act of 2008. But mines minister Maxwell Mwale said the Act has to be amended to
accommodate foreign investors in order to boost the mining industry.
NUCIW president Seth Paradza said the amendment of the Act would work against the empowerment of Zambians in the mining industry.
“If the amendment of the Act is allowed to go through, then it will defeat the whole purpose of empowering Zambians in the mining sector. We have a number of our members, for instance, who own shares in the Lafarge quarrying industry because of the empowerment facilitated by the Act which they (government) are now seeking to amend,” he said.
Paradza charged that the amendment of the Act to allow foreign investors to actively participate in the mining of industrial minerals was retrogressive to efforts to empower Zambian investors.
But Mwale said it was only prudent to amend the Act to boost operations in the industrial minerals sector.
“Under the mines and minerals Act of 2008, industrial minerals were left to be mined by Zambians. This was done with a view to encourage and empower Zambians,” Mwale said.
“However, the Act has to be amended to accommodate foreign investors. When we drew up the Act, we did not envisage there would be interest by foreign investors to mine, for example, sand.”
Mwale said it was necessary to make exceptions for operations such as the mining of cement as there was massive capital output.
Last week, the Ministry of Mines presented a proposal to Parliament to have the mines and minerals Act of 2008 amended.
And the parliamentary committee on Economics on Wednesday described as highly suspicious Zambia Development Agency (ZDA)’s support to have section seven of the mines and minerals Act of 2008 amended. This was after ZDA director general Andrew Chipwende, who appeared before the committee, said maintaining the clause would restrict foreign investors who wished to undertake major projects in the production of cement and phosphate fertiliser in Zambia.
Section seven of the mines and minerals Act of 2008 which the Ministry of Mines has proposed for amendment provides that a mining right for industrial minerals shall only be granted to a person who is a citizen of Zambia or a citizen-owned company. Industrial minerals include, among others, limestone and gypsum used in the production of cement and quicklime as well as phosphates used in the production of phosphate fertilisers.
Labels: CORRUPTION, FDI, MAXWELL MWALE, MINES AND MINERALS ACT, NEOLIBERALISM, NUCIW, SETH PARADZA
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COMMENT - Why can't the workers and managers get together, create a profitable business model for NCZ, and get funding on the basis of that model? NCZ could be worker owned. They should be manufacturing the nation's fertilizer, whose prices are at an all time high.
NCZ workers bemoan govt’s failure to keep plant running
Written by Florence Bupe
Saturday, March 07, 2009 10:17:34 AM
NITROGEN Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ) workers have criticised government’s failure to keep the manufacturing plant running while an equity partner is being sought.
In an interview, National Union of Commercial and Industrial Workers (NUCIW) branch president Seth Paradza said it was irresponsible for the government to stall operations at the plant through failure to release the required funds.
“Government should have let the company continue to run as they look for an equity partner. We needed only K5 billion to purchase additional raw materials to resume production, yet government has failed to avail these funds. Instead, they are talking of close to K40 billion to settle retirees’ and workers’ dues, which at the end of the day is very uneconomical.”
NCZ was shut down in November, 2007 due to lack of funds needed for recapitalisation and procurement of raw materials.
Paradza expressed disappointment over the government’s stance on the recapitalisation of the fertiliser manufacturing company.
He said the government was not committed to the revival of the company, adding that the country would continue to spend unnecessarily huge amounts of money on fertiliser imports for as long as the local plant was not revamped.
“Government’s pronouncements that NCZ is a strategic company will remain empty for as long as they are not accompanied by action,” he said.
Paradza disclosed that workers were owed two months’ salary arrears, and explained that the K8.5 billion that had been released would be channeled towards the payment of salaries for one month, as well as part payment of terminal benefits.
Labels: NCZ, NUCIW, SETH PARADZA
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NUCIW implores KK to advise Rupiah on recapitalising NCZ
Written by Mutuna Chanda in Kitwe
Thursday, January 22, 2009 9:41:05 AM
NATIONAL Union of Commercial and Industrial Workers (NUCIW) general secretary John Bwalya has called on Dr Kenneth Kaunda to advise President Rupiah Banda on the need to recapitalise Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ).
Commenting on the protest by NCZ unionised workers and their spouses on Monday over President Banda's silence on the company in his address to Parliament last Friday, Bwalya accused those in the government of having failed to revamp the fertiliser producer.
"The union agrees with the statement issued by Michael Sata in which he stated that President Banda is surrounded by bootlickers who are not advising him accordingly," Bwalya stated. "This is because the issue of recapitalisation of NCZ is long overdue."
He wondered whether the government appreciated the purpose for Dr Kaunda's government to establish NCZ.
"The idea was that the country should not depend on the importation of fertiliser," he stated. "This initiative should at all costs be supported and appreciated by the government."
He stated that the government needed to seriously consider recapitalising NCZ in view of the impact of the global financial crisis which had affected the mining industry.
"Recapitalisation of NCZ will be a good decision in line with the idea of diversifying our mainstay of the economy from copper production to agriculture," he stated. "We have no doubt that this year the country will experience importation of maize due to bad government policies on agriculture."
Bwalya warned of chaos in Kafue if the government failed to recapitalise NCZ or pay benefits to its workers.
"If the government cannot recapitalise, they should prepare funds to pay the terminal benefits for workers of NCZ," stated Bwalya. "If the government cannot do that the union can foresee that there will be chaos in Kafue."
However, Bwalya urged workers not to tamper with company property in pressurising the government over their position.
Labels: JOHN BWALYA, KENNETH KAUNDA, NCZ, NUCIW, RUPIAH BANDA
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NUCIW urges government to recapitalise NCZ
By Florence Bupe
Sunday July 13, 2008 [04:00]
NATIONAL Union of Commercial and Industrial Workers (NUCIW) president Seth Paradza has implored the agriculture ministry to honour its commitment to release funds for the recapitalisation of Nitrogen Chemicals of Zambia (NCZ) within one week. In an interview, Paradza said the government had made an assurance to release the K58.3 billion required for the recapitalisation of the fertiliser manufacturing plant before the end of this week.
“A group of representatives from NCZ met with the agriculture minister on Friday and the minister made assurances that most of the work had already been done. What is remaining is the finalisation of documents for submission to the ministry of finance,” he said.
NCZ workers have over the last week abandoned work, demanding to be paid their various dues. Paradza disclosed that the workers had vowed not to return to work until the money was disbursed. He further called on the ministry to settle the K4.6 billion owed for the fertiliser purchased in the last manufacturing season.
“We have asked for the payment of the K4.6 billion that is owed from the last production season. Our debt portfolio keeps going up with delays in payments,” said Paradza.
Labels: NCZ, NUCIW, PARASTATALS, TRADE UNIONS
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