Unionised workers at First Quantum Minerals Operation (FQMO) mining division at Kansanshi mine are alleged to have gone on go slow.
The workers downed tools at the start of the night shift of Thursday 9 September at the start of their shift and the day shift crew of Friday 10 September also followed suit.
However, the majority of the day shift workers returned to work during the shift.
The move follows a misunderstanding on pension scheme disagreement.
According to the 2021/2022 Collective agreement, mine management and the unions agreed to introduce a company sponsored private pension scheme for all employees with the company contributing 5 percent of the basic pay for each employee.
But, the employees do not want the money to go towards the pension scheme as agreed in the Collective agreement but be given to them directly.
However, management has described the work stoppage by FQMO Mining Division employees as illegal as it did not conform with the current CBA between the company, the unions and employees.
In a statement made to the media, Kansanshi mine Public Relations manager Godfrey Msiska stated that the work stoppage was illegal because the pension scheme was a mutual agreement between FQMO Mining Division management and all the unions representing the employees’ interests during the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) negotiations of December 2020.
“Consequently, Management have advised employees to return to work immediately,” said Mr. Msiska.
He disclosed that FQMO Mining Division is a going concern and as such, no severance package or terminal pay-out arrangement has been triggered.
He however indicated that employees will be given the opportunity to make a decision on the voluntary pension scheme, in accordance with the approved CBA agreement, once the details of the scheme itself are finalised.
