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Zambia: MUZ Expresses Sadness
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The Times of Zambia (Ndola)
15 April 2008
Posted to the web 15 April 2008
Ndola
THE Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) has expressed sadness that some mine companies are not respecting the provisions of the recognition and collective agreements, which they signed with the union.
MUZ president, Rayford Mbulu said in Kitwe yesterday that the union condemned in the strongest terms, employers who were flouting the provisions of the collective agreement with impunity.
Mr Mbulu was speaking during the opening of the MUZ supreme council meeting at Katilungu House in Kitwe yesterday.
He also complained that First Quantum Minerals had unilaterally declared a dispute with MUZ without following the provision of the Industrial and Labour Relations Act.
Mr Mbulu said that the union was not averse to either party declaring a dispute but that the move should be done within the provisions of the law.
The union was equally worried with the attitude of some sub contractors in the mines who were paying 'peanuts' to their employees under the pretext that the rates which they were getting from the mining companies, were low.
"In this regard, we support the initiatives being taken by the Labour ministry to at least peg salaries for contracted workers at 80 per cent of the permanent employees' salaries," Mr Mbulu said.
Mr Mbulu expressed concern at the increasing number of foreign labour in the mines, which could easily be obtained locally.
He said there were cases where foreign workers learnt their skills in Zambia, tutored by Zambian experts but only to take over the jobs later.
It was sad that some firms sidelined highly qualified Zambians in preference to foreign nationals who were less qualified and had no experience.
He implored the ministry of Labour and Social Security to scrutinise work permits of foreigners and only allow those with skills, which could not be easily obtained locally.
Mr Mbulu said that the union was concerned at the high rate of mine accidents in some companies, which had resulted in serious injuries and deaths.
Some companies, he said, were not complying with safety standards.
Mr Mbulu has since called on the mine safety department (MSD) to intensify audits in the mines to curb the rising number of accidents resulting from non-compliance of safety regulations.
He further commended the union for the bold decision it collectively took to re-align the constitution in order to save the union from financial quagmire.
Mr Mbulu said the amendment to the constitution to replace the holding of the annual conference to that of quadrennial had resulted into huge savings on the union's coffers and improved the credit worthiness.
He said the reduction in the number of supreme council meetings had also created increased saving, which had culminated into saving close to K1 billion.
Mr Mbulu said another bold decision the union took last year was to incorporate a limited company which would be a separate entity called "The Mineworkers Investment Company" to run all the business ventures of the union.
"This will allow us to concentrate on our core business which is to negotiate for better conditions and salaries of our members. It will further give us the impetus to deal with the challenges of recruiting members both in old and the upcoming mines," he said.
He said the greatest challenge the union was facing was the recruitment of new members in the light of the increased mining activities on the Copperbelt, North-Western, Central and Southern provinces.
Mr Mbulu said that MUZ had made strides to establish linkages with most mining houses abroad.
To this effect, Muz had signed a recognition agreement with LTA in Konkola, an access agreement at Albidon Nickel Mine in Mazabuka and would soon have members at the mine.
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On the increased mineral royalties from 0.3 to six per cent, MUZ commended the Government for the decision, which was long overdue.
He said the investors were reaping far beyond their anticipated profits.
"Today copper prices stand at more than US$10,000 per tonne and we see no need for investors to claim that the taxes are too high," he said.
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