The Zambia Federation of Employers (ZFE) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Harrington Chibanda is urging workers to respect labour laws before embarking on a firm of work stoppage.
Speaking during a press briefing held in Lusaka today Chibanda expressed concern over a noted increase incidents in work stoppage in some companies where workers continue protesting over low wages.
Chibanda described acts of work stoppage as unproductive as employee bashing of ZFE members without giving them an opportunity to management address the issue is counter productive.
“Workers need to follow the procedure and engage management through a negotiation table and arrive at an agreement. It is not a good idea to stop work at this time of Coronavirus (covid-19). This is counter productive and clearly an illegal decision for employees to withdraw labour when there is a negotiation process taking place through trade unions. All collective agreements have a life span and are on conditions that need to be respected at all times,” advised Chibanda.
He urged that where there is a possibility for a wage to be adjusted, there is need for the employee to call for negotiations through unionized representation.
“It is not good to just call for withdrawal of labour without giving an opportunity to be heard or hear the actual income status of an employer, which once done is deemed illegal.
This being the beginning of the financial year, workers must engage the employers to engage the employers via unions to opening negotiations,” said Chibanda.
The ZFE Chief Executive Officer implored a need to place reasonable salary and conditions of service demands for consideration on the table of negotiations, through unions.
“ZFE is aware that not all workers are represented by unions. These are protected by the provision of minimum wage.
The ZFE has been engaging unions and government to undertake their operations prudently so as to prevent job losses,” Chibanda prayed, explaining that the primary concern for ZFE is to ensure that no jobs is lost.
In the process, Chibanda recollected that the minimum wage was not addressed due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“For workers to rise this early demanding a pay rise will expose the United Party for National Development (UPND) Alliance New Dawn Administration led by President Hakainde Hichilema and Vice President Mutale Nalumango do not care about their plight. The ZFE has the responsibility to look after the interests of workers,” He explained.
