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Mopani To Lay Off 4,000 workers
The three unions representing miners have said that they are making steady progress in its negotiations with owners of the Baluba mines to give reasonable allowances to workers on forced leave.
Mine Workers Union of Zambia President Nkole Chishimba who spoke on behalf of other union leaders said it was difficult to negotiate with Luanshya Copper Mines management.
Mr Chishimba said that management has now agreed to negotiate following President Edgar Lungu’s directives for both parties to engage in constructive dialogue.
He was speaking at joint press briefing held at Katilungu house in Kitwe on Wednesday.
Mr Chishimba said the directives which President Lungu gave has also helped the unions hold meetings with Konkola copper mines management.
He added that although Nchanga Mine has been placed under care and maintenance, no worker has lost a job.
Government has called on Mopani Copper Mines to seriously reconsider its plan of laying off four thousand workers.
But Mines Deputy Minister Richard Musukwa says Mopani’s decision to lay off workers is not in the interest of the country but its shareholders abroad.
Mr Musukwa says there is no insurmountable challenge at Mopani Copper Mine to warrant the laying of of Zambian workers.
He says government is determined to save the jobs and sustain mining operations in the best interest of the country.
Mr Musukwa says the arrogance exhibited by the mining firm is disappointing and will not be entertained.
He has since asked Mopani management to continue engaging the government and Mine unions in an effort to find an amicable solution to the challenges the sector is facing other than rushing into job cuts.
Posted by Staffreporter
on November 19, 2015. Filed under LATEST NEWS.
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Chitwansombo
November 19, 2015 at 11:10 am
Surely when the Northern vote for PF @ its a strong hold, When Eastern vote for their own @ its their strong hold. But when Southern vote for UPND @ its tribal. When Sata addressed a rally in his language every one claps, When RB or EL use his language due to luck of a better word in English every one laughs. Just one Tonga word from HH. Its headline. Who is tribal?
The Mentalist
November 19, 2015 at 11:22 am
Well said ,son of the soil.
Better
November 19, 2015 at 11:31 am
But is it not true that Hyena Hyena is tribal? Did he not ascend to the presidency using a tribal ladder? Make this guy president and u will see more of his tribal side.
MM
November 19, 2015 at 3:21 pm
Uli mbushi fye iwe. Wiso ewaba tribal. Mafi yobe.
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November 19, 2015 at 12:26 pm
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CHRISTINES HEALTH SHOP
November 19, 2015 at 12:29 pm
Judge Joe Bidden
November 19, 2015 at 12:38 pm
Tumfweko unless your IT section is low grade, I know you can block this Christine Shop nonsense advertising dildos and penises unless you are part of this scam why do you allow it?
voter banda
November 19, 2015 at 3:30 pm
We know were to buy mutototo na congo dust etc iwe bloody basket!!just disturbing folks with useless adverts..malubish!!
Judge Joe Bidden
November 19, 2015 at 11:21 am
Job cuts are based on how the mine is doing, basically productivity, production expenditure and running costs and other influences like the value of currency, mineral prices and stable power supply. But if all these are not well maintained the mines runs into mega loses, its GLOBAL such huge employer to lay off or shed off some workers and there is nothing the Govt can do people the two players the mines and the Govt are looking at this issue through different crystal ball. For Govt its pure political regardless whether mines are making money or not, on the other hand Mines are profit orientated, simple. So Edgar’s effort to arm twist the mines wont work because shareholders need profit or at least save their mines by avoiding running bankrupt, while politicians all they want is ‘we saved your jobs’ therefore vote for us.
Phillimon Sika
November 19, 2015 at 11:25 am
Privatization of our own mines will torment Zambians ,honestly Zambians are now suffering because of the investors who have no heart for Zambian only interested in making money and when things become hard in business they lay off workers and threatens closure of mines ,hence they bring more misery to Zambians like what ANGLO AMERICAN did,why can’t the government repossess these mines and serve the common Zambians or look for serous investors who will stand a test of time and serve the sufferings of our own pipo please .The politicians more especially the oppositions have partnered with the investors to bring more suffering to people.If these oppositions have the interest of the common Zambians they should have talked to their masters to serve Zambians.Wake up Zambians let us not be used,these investors who are sponsoring oppositions once they come into power they will have no say but controlled by their sponsors ,watch out !!!!!!!!!!!!
MM
November 19, 2015 at 3:32 pm
If you invest your money in a business and the business is spending more than you invested, what do you do? For instance you invest K1000 in your business. And you’re are spending K100 (Transport, expenses, salaries, etc) every month to do your business and only realising K50 every month, you will be making a loss of K50. What do you do? There are only two things you can do. (1)You will not continue with that business, or (2) You will try to reduce the cost by reducing costs such as labour costs (retrenchments). That is a simple scenario I can give you.
Government repossessing these mines (nationalization) is not a viable thing. Remember what happens in Kaunda era. We should not even go that route. It disaster.
Ndaje Kakhs
November 19, 2015 at 11:38 am
@JJB what you say is true since any business is created to create profit for its creator. But you spoil it all by this:So Edgar’s effort to arm twist the mines wont work. The president is like a parent whose child has supposedly incurable disease. He/She will try to see that that child gets better in spite of the fact that the disease is incurable.
Judge Joe Bidden
November 19, 2015 at 12:02 pm
Look @Ndaje, Edgars action is more on socio-politics with nothing to do with production at the mines. So are you saying if the mines are making loses and production levels compromised due to no power supply the mines should just go ahead and pay people monthly who spend of the time sitting under trees due to loadshedding? Just like you and me, what happens when power goes in offices? People go outside in parking lots to chat others find an excuse to go to town and do their stuff, what happens in the mines? 4,000 workers cant go underground due to electrical powered shaft, conveyor belts stop, crushers, washers, all grind to a halt, and this happens 5 times in a week – WHAT DO YOU EXPECT MINING MANAGEMENT TO DO WITH 4,000 WORKERS SITTING EVERYWHERE?
Ndaje Kakhs
November 19, 2015 at 12:13 pm
@JJB I didn’t say the Mopani can go on paying miners even when business is bad. I am a miner myself and privileged to know how the company is doing. I daily check the price of copper and compare to the costs related to production and other over heads. I remember one time when I justified the closure, you censured by you that you wish your brother in Chingola would——.All politicians are the same on such issues.
Judge Joe Bidden
November 19, 2015 at 12:29 pm
Yes I remember that, my own brother in a miner in Chingola my home town, but even him as a miner hes so frustrated with the low productivity levels, mind you its not only the lower class workers being affected even middle management seniors, they also get extra coins on overtimes, no overtime as there no workers to supervise, mine is operating by gravity and their salaries are relegated to BASIC SALARY no top up they are used to and what is the Govt doing?
Judge Joe Bidden
November 19, 2015 at 12:33 pm
Nothing but wagging its finger to Mines management. Why cant the Govt keep a big chuck of electricity it imports from Mozambique and exclusively supply to the mines than passing it thru Zambia only to be exported to Botswana???
Ndaje Kakhs
November 19, 2015 at 12:48 pm
The company I work for does not pay senior staff over time. There are no other allowances apart from production quarterly bonus which is no longer there since production has been cut.
Denkete
November 19, 2015 at 12:53 pm
JJB, you are not alone on the blog. tuusha!!! leka nabambi balandeko.
Hello Haters
November 19, 2015 at 1:59 pm
@jjb umwaiche denkete adabwa ifyo ulefumya info, am sure he is so tired, after coming the cb where he had gone to disturb the peace.
Judge Joe Bidden
November 19, 2015 at 2:00 pm
Ee ni ndeka tatafyala… i was busy doing some research some chap died so theories were flying around by some medical chaps.
billz
November 19, 2015 at 3:38 pm
@jjb my learned friend these crooks glencore are using the power deficit as an excuse here. Are you aware that they have also stopped operations in DRC?
Shaka Zulu
November 19, 2015 at 11:41 am
JJB you are spot on. The problem here is that govt is playing politics. Any business must make profit. If not you either close down or you reduce on labour. Govt is mixing politics with business.
Hello Haters
November 19, 2015 at 12:50 pm
Katwishi mayo, it’s kwamutonyo economics, kikikiki.
spannerman
November 19, 2015 at 3:11 pm
@JJB i like you mature contribution most Zambians are still in the umbrella of ignorance. The world has become a grobal market meaning any one can invest in any country and expect a retain. Every country including the USA, CHINA, UK are looking for investors.But here in Zambia people are proud of thing thinking has if those foreign investors pick money from trees to continue running a business that do not breakeven.
Chief of Grief
November 19, 2015 at 3:33 pm
Tapali ifyama job cuts apa!Now that u’re runin by utuma loss u want 2 cry foul!Wen u guyz were mekin abnormal profits u stil dint employ most of us youths mu kcm,mopani etc.Al business bound to mek loses @ sum point,so ubo ububwa u want to do is totaly a rip off to those families.!!
ss
November 19, 2015 at 5:05 pm
Come 2016 we must vote wisely
dudu
November 19, 2015 at 6:11 pm
Voting won’t give you a job. Solution lies in innovation
nshilimubemba
November 19, 2015 at 7:31 pm
The best thing the govt can do now is to reposses those mines laying off workers .
Let this govt save our people from the traumer that comes with job losses.