Minimum Wage To Be Harmonized

Government is working out measures to ensure that the hike in the minimum wage does not become a source of industrial protests.

Labour Minister Fackson Shamenda says this is because protests and work stoppages negatively affect governments revenue collection.

Background

Following the revision of the minimum wage by government this year through Statutory Instrument Number Nos 45, 46 and 47 of 2012, there has been a spate of protests and work stoppages in some companies.

Government announced the upwards adjustment of the minimum wages for domestic workers and shop and general workers in a move aimed at reducing poverty in the country.

According to this new piece of legislation, the figures now stand at K522,400 from K250,000 for domestic servants, while for workers in grade one, who previously earned K419,000, will now get a basic pay of K700,000, K210,000 housing allowance, K102,400 for transport, with lunch allowance pegged at K120,000, bringing the total to K1,132,400.

For grade two shop workers who previously earned K510,000, the minimum pay is now K852,028, housing allowance of K255, 608, transport K102,400 and lunch pegged at K120,000 amounting to K1,329,636.

Due to the inertia by some employers to implement the new minimum wage, workers in many companies have demanded to be paid the newly revised minimum wage.

But some employers on the other hand have threatened they may have to down size their workforce to overcome the cost implications of the new minimum wage.

However, Government has repeatedly advised employers not to use the minimum wage as a scapegoat to laying off workers but instead devise ways of doing their business better.

Miner killed as result

In the latest spate of industrial unrest following the announcement of the hiking of the minimum wage, impatient workers at the embattled Collum Coal Mine in Sinazongwe on Sunday killed a Chinese miner during a riot.

One other miner was left with multiple injuries and is battling for his life in Mamba hospital.

The irate workers are alleged to have pushed-off the trolley which sped on rails and hit the deceased who had fred underground for safety.

Unfortunately, the trolley crushed him leaving the miner dead!

Calculated disruption

In an effort to ensure no one worked, the irate miners mobilized themselves and started beating up fellow miners found working.

In the ensuing fracas, those who insisted on working were beaten to restrain them from going ahead with duties.

Comments

Southern Province Deputy Police Commissioner Fred Mutondo confirmed the killing of the Chinese national but could not give further details on the matter.

And Sinazongwe District Commissioner Dodo Sindaza and area Member of Parliament Richwell Siamunene also confirmed the killing in separate interviews.

Mr Sindaza identified the deceased as Wu Shengzai aged, 50.

And Home Affairs Minister Edgar Lungu says Zambian miners that have killed a Chinese national at the Collumn Coal Mine in Sinazongwe will be prosecuted.

Mr Lungu says there will be no sacred cows in enforcing the law and appealed for maximum restraint from workers and employers as government re-visits issues surrounding the revised minimum wage.

Mr Lungu was speaking in an interview with ZNBC news in Lusaka on Saturday soon after learning of the happenings at the Collum Coal mine.

Investigations

And Labour Minister Fackson Shamenda immediately called for thorough investigations into the killing of a Chinese national.

Mr Shamenda has regretted that the riots had led to loss of life and described it as unfortunate and regrettable.

Mr Shamenda has wondered why the embattled Collumn Coal Mine continues to be a spot of tension between Zambian workers and Chinese investors.

Mr Shamenda has since urged the workers to avoid taking the law into their own hands.

He says the sad development at the mine should serve as a lesson for all workers and employers to follow the normal channel of communication.

Mr. Shamenda who has since travelled to the Mine was speaking in an interview with TV2 News prior to his departure from Lusaka.

Posted by Editor on August 6, 2012. Filed under LATEST NEWS. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry