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ZAMBIA Miners’ UNIONS Warn Of MORE STRIKES
Copper mining companies operating in Zambia, Africa’s top producer of the metal, should brace themselves for more strikes this year unless they meet wage demands, union officials warned Wednesday.
As strike action at Kansanshi Copper Mines, Zambia’s largest producer by output, entered a second day Wednesday, Sikufela Mundia, president of National Union of Miners and Allied Workers, said copper mining companies must offer more than 11% pay increments to workers this year or risk widespread strikes which could paralyze the sector.
Zambian miners walk out of a lift at Konkola Copper mine in Chililabombwe, Zambia.
“At the moment we are trying to see how we can resolve the stalemate at Kansanshi but other mine houses should prepare to meet our demands,” he said, adding that under the previous government most mining companies wouldn’t offer more than 11% because they had strong political backing.
Godfrey Msiska, the Kansanshi Copper Mine spokesman, described the strike as illegal saying that the workers did not follow proper procedures before going on strike.
“We are still consulting with various stakeholders to try and bring the strike to an end,” he said, adding that output remains suspended.
Zambia’s miners unions always negotiate annual labor deals with companies operating in the country.
Following the election of Michael Sata as Zambian president in September a wave of strikes have engulfed the country’s mining sector, as workers agitate for pay increments. Sata had premised his campaigns on populist promises such as improving miners’ conditions.
Union representatives are continuing with talks with companies such as Konkola Copper Mines, a unit of London-listed Vedanta Resources PLC and Mopani Copper Mines, a joint venture between Swiss commodity trader Glencore International AG and Toronto-listed First Quantum Minerals Ltd. .
Angered by the slow pace of labor talks at Kansanshi, miners went on strike Tuesday, paralyzing output. The workers want a 20% pay increment and other benefits, and have rejected management’s offer of 9% pay rise, according to union officials.
Posted by
ONE TIME
January 5, 2012 at 10:47 am
Lack of seriousness by managements in some of these mines will lead to a paralytic mining industry in this country. Managements eavesdrop to the demands of the workers.
truth pains
January 5, 2012 at 10:56 am
fire hr group, they have caused this strike, both fqmo + kansanshi.
no proper grading system at fqmo. more strikes comming. whites earning more than. blacks treated like dogs.
Samlindo
January 5, 2012 at 11:25 am
Government has to seriously look and the GAP between whites and Blacks in all companies, it is then that they will see the bottom of these problems in our midst.its like we are still colonised
simeza
January 5, 2012 at 12:13 pm
simply because dont kubeba and 90 days where day light robbery does not mean us zambians will not get what is ours
we will take everything we were promised, better salaries by force, barotse by force, lower taxes by force and more money…if not we will remove someone by force
D.S.CHIBS
January 5, 2012 at 12:13 pm
PF government ordered all managements to only offer between 9 and 12%of salary increaments. It is not the management offering them that small increament but the PF government. The mangement has the blessing of the government as long as the employees are offered within that %. Watchout for the salary increaments for civil servants, it will not go beyound 10%.
ONE TIME
January 5, 2012 at 1:02 pm
Simeza jst listen 2 yoself.the article is about miners striking not the barotse bullshit its one zambia one nation.so you think the rest of the zambians will let you hijack some part the country..fantasy ba simeza fantasy…
One Zambia One Nation One People in the Image of God
January 5, 2012 at 1:11 pm
Mopani watch out for otherwise we are ready for the strike.
Prof; Zick
January 5, 2012 at 1:11 pm
Umuchanga usuma
Ayatollah
January 5, 2012 at 1:12 pm
In these mines, an average muzungu miner from South Africa earns about USD15000 per month exclusive of other benefits while a Zambian is paid ZMK800pin. It is shocking that some miners at Kansanshi are still getting less than a million kwacha. Can someone explain the disparity in salaries? Even the 20% they are asking for is peanuts! when you compare to what the foreign miners are getting. Am not saying expatriates because most of these are ill qualified. They are not better than Zambians. The other point that needs to be addressed is the out sourcing of most jobs. There are just too many contractors and each contractor has come with his own people. The net is that most jobs that can easily be done by Zambians have been taken under this arrangement. I also fail to understand why there are two companies existing independently within Kansanshi. In fact there are three, Mining Division, Roads & Kansanshi itself. This is the company in which our own celebrated General Kingsley Chinkuli is the Country Manager!! Something is terribly wrong
Jinalo
January 5, 2012 at 2:04 pm
Bodza lanu imwe Ayatolla.
ChiChi
January 5, 2012 at 2:46 pm
The Miners did well to go on strike. These whites get so much money for nothing while the hard working Zambians get peanuts. And Mr. Msiska should shut up, he is just a Muzungu wanga (butt licker)
NKANDU
January 5, 2012 at 2:51 pm
Imwe,PELENI ABANTU UMUCHANGA NABENA BASEKELEMO.
Imiponto!
January 5, 2012 at 3:21 pm
Mopani alachimona rumours has it that ‘balishupa saana’! We must condemn if it fits coz they have made huge profits bakaamba! Chivivuleni bane!
mark
January 5, 2012 at 4:10 pm
MMD always lost in mining towns because miners were ill treated and Governmnet would support the employer instead of the poor workers. PF won because miners felt they would listen to them more than they would from these foreigners. Should PF repeat the mistakes of MMD they will be out in 2016 mark my words.
105 days
January 5, 2012 at 4:34 pm
bring back zccm days !! just Privatise the mines and the companies from muzunguze. We have more power than before.
Martin Daka
January 5, 2012 at 5:27 pm
There is a glaring difference between what WHITE MINERS and BLACKS get paid it does actually border on racist approach. White college boys from South Africa get 5 times than qualified/experience senior Black Zambian miners….We need expertriate worker laws like the ones Australia has. If you go to Australia no matter your qualification & experience in any field you are treated as a college graduate…. I AM SURE WE HAVE NOW LEARNT ALOT AS A COUNTRY NATIONALISING THESE MINES WOULD STILL BE A VIABLE MOVE.
muz
January 5, 2012 at 10:04 pm
even at kcm,things are not good with this indians.we are waiting for more money in our pockets,
bishop
January 5, 2012 at 11:00 pm
this issue about illiterate expats wont be solved.instead of reducing the numbers more are coming in the country with impunity.it is really sad.i have worked with them before and most of them dont even know how to write.just go to fqm and you will find them yet we claim to have labour laws.shame.
poudly Zambian
January 6, 2012 at 6:37 am
May God help us. This year there will be global recession and most employers will retrench or simply close their business entities. There is darkness on the earth and thick darkness on the people indeed.
poudly Zambian
January 6, 2012 at 6:37 am
May God help us. This year there will be global recession and most employers will retrench or simply close their business entities. There is darkness on the earth and thick darkness on the people indeed.
BBC
January 6, 2012 at 6:44 am
MCM Plc you are the Next Victim of such actions. And up now the Unions are still not stable with results.
Bantu Speaker.
January 6, 2012 at 9:55 am
Don’t think our fellow Zambians would make things better for us,never! on the negotiating Table our own Zambian managers are the ones that are even more resistant protecting the wealth of their selfish masters. Lets just wait for Christ to come and rule us better.
Trevor
January 6, 2012 at 9:55 am
@ DS CHIBS….. Is you mind ok? U speak and reason like someone from the mental asylum. Who do u want to fool? Finance bank has given a K 2 million kwacha increment across the board. Is that 9 or 12% for you? FQM has increased salaries by over K1m across the board, is that 9% for you? Zambezi Portland has increased wages by K500,000 across the board, is that 9% to you? Come on man, u can do better without that cheap talk devoid of facts.
choa lee
January 6, 2012 at 11:04 am
this is a milestone for the workers at kansanshi/fqmo, keep it up guys. power to the power!!!! woe to hr group
Gerabo kopala
January 6, 2012 at 4:44 pm
Mopani copa mines,get ready 4 ukuchivivula if nothing cönstructive comes of tuma nego
Ronald
January 6, 2012 at 8:57 pm
Watch out there is nothing you will get by force. Don’t think evil.
FTJ
January 20, 2012 at 9:52 am
Like was warned, kcm chililabombwe miners have gone on strike starting from yesterday. Management has offered the workers 9% salary increment. Is this what the miners voted for?