MORE than 100 Non-Ferrous Mining Company Africa (NFCA) miners braved the rain on Monday night to protest an alleged breach of contract which led to the arrest of 12 for blocking Kitwe-Chingola Road.
The miners decided to have a peaceful demonstration starting Monday night because NFCA management did not inform them about the change of ownership of NFC mining department to a company called JCHX, which was operating within the same premises.
NFC mining department is a subsidiary of NFCA.
The irate miners claimed that management had breached the contract signed with NFCA by not informing and paying them terminal benefits since they would belong to another company.
The contracts entered into were both verbal and written depending on how a particular miner got a job and what sort of job.
The workers found at the entrance of NFCA with heavy presence of State police in full riot gear said on condition of anonymity that they did not know the company they were asked to work for and under which conditions they would operate.
They said none of the 2,000 workers had signed a contract with their new employer.
They alleged that most of them had oral contracts and that those on permanent basis were poorly paid compared with those on casual basis.
They also claimed that some of them had worked for NFCA for five years and had not been given their benefits apart from December salaries.
The protesting miners demanded to be paid their benefits ranging from K35 million to K70 million.
They said as miners they were also no longer allowed to seek medical attention at SINOZAM Hospital where miners had a medical scheme.
They accused National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) of not addressing their plight and yet there was a recognition agreement in place.
But NUMAW general secretary Goodwell Kaluba said management was responsible for the protest because it did not inform the union.
He said NFCA management did not inform the union and the miners about the new development at the mining firm.
Mr Kaluba, however, said the union and management had agreed to dialogue over the matter.
Efforts to get a comment from NFCA management failed as the spokesperson was reportedly in a meeting and journalists were kept waiting for a long time.
Copperbelt police chief Martin Malama said the miners conducted a peaceful demonstration apart from the 12 who were picked for blocking the Kitwe-Chingola highway with logs and stones.
Dr Malama said the 12 miners would be charged with obstruction and would appear in court soon because they had broken the law.
He said the protesting miners caused a traffic jam and inconvenienced people that were using the road.
The miner case here sound plausible to me.There is something crooked about the manner the employers are handling the whole issue.They are hiding something.
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These are the fruits of Chinese investment!
Thanx Dr. Malama, unlike your coleagues in WP you handled the sitution proffessionally.
Chinese infesters, bringing and spreading the disease of industrial disharmony in complicity with their pathetic partners in crime, MMD govt
Bushe sure Umukuba wesu wakulafye Ukwabula more money in our pockets and good conditions of work piliz? Its good we are now opening our eyes. There is more to be done to our constitution other than the 50+ we want. Labour Laws Imwe sure u can cry. Piliz Christians don’t just pray and fast for peace of our lovely mother Zambia. Speak for the voiceless. Ukwali insoke takwafwile bantu
The govt needs to strenghen our labour laws. I feel the chinese and possibly other investors have taken advantage of our weak labour laws and the fact that the chinese are among the most corrupt nations they find it easy to work with the corrupt mmd, the ruling party. The workers subjected to pathetic conditions are our brother and sisters.
The investrs are rejoicing at the fact that they have found very dull creatures called leaders in Zambia. They have to reap the copper before its too late.
This is what happens when a country has very selfish leaders….workers suffer while the foreigners enjoy.
#7You wonder why Zambia is ranked No.4 fastest growing Economy? By this they mean where one get mone out fast than lightening.
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#7You wonder why Zambia is ranked No.4 fastest growing Economy? By this they mean where one can get money out fast than lightening.
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