Government has advised the labour movement in the country not to simply criticize government over the intended adjustment of the retirement age from 55 years to 65 years, but to make contribution in a factual manner.
Labour, youth and sports minister Fackson Shamenda has since cautioned the labour movement against making threats to government on issues that concern the general populace.
This is in response to the rejection of the proposed government retirement age of 65 by the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions ZCTU and the Zambia Federation of Employers (ZFE) from the current 55 years.
Mr. Shamenda says it should be realized that the issue of the retirement is a matter of all ministries, of which cabinet has to decide upon.
He has advised the labour movement to find a better way of forwarding their concerns on issues instead on imposing on government, stating that it would not work out well because some issues have a number of actors.
The labour minister said this when he officially opened the tripartite consultative labour council meeting in Lusaka today.
The consultative meeting was among other issues looking at the minimum wage and the retirement age.
Earlier, ZCTU president Leonard Hikaumba said the labour movement welcomes the president’s directive to revise the minimum wage, which he says will go a long way in improving income levels for workers, who are not covered by union representation.
Mr. Hikaumba however states that the labour movement still considers it of utmost importance for social partners to look at the issue critically so that the outcome will be accepted by all.
And ZFE President Alfred Masupha says the federation respects workers rights at all times but will not tolerate any act of indiscipline in workplaces.
Mr. Masupha has since appealed to workers in the country to desist from retrogressive trends which he says can engage the country into reverse gear and make it lose the admirable gains that it has made over the past years.
And director of the International Labor Organization (ILO) for Zambia, Mozambique and Malawi, Martin Clemmensson has observed the need to examine the extent to which the current minimum wage is being implemented by the different players in the country’s economy.
Mr. Clemmensson has also called for careful analysis of the different implications of increasing the retirement age stating that the tripartite consultative meeting needs to strike a balance between the demand and supply side of the labour market.
[QFM]
Is this the same Shamenda who was ZCTU presdent? Funny how people can be self-serving.
Shamenda cannot be trusted on the plight of the workers. In his hay days as a “Trade Unionist” he killed the structure of the United Trade Union Congress. If in doubt, ask/consult Mrs. Simukoko who opted to serve the best interests of the workers in Financial Institutions by parting with Shamenda.
Mr Shamenda retirement is life and death. Who will reach 65 years and still fit to work. Workers are looking at the life span has dropped now to 38 years then you want to increase the age to 65 years. Civil servants say NO to such issues. They dont want to die while still working. Why did you Shamenda stop work because you retired and join politics. They also want to join politics and their retirement money to campaign. SO CIVIL SERVANTS WATCH OUT AND SAY NO TO THIS PROPOSITION
65 years fake think before you utter
I will never entertain the idea of retirement age at 55 because already they are too many young people without work hence the need to substitue old ones so that they rest.Once PF create more jobs then we can look at increasing retirement age if there’s deficit of manpower.The Minister should concentrate on more important issues which is the minimum wage,conditions of service and number of expatriates in Zambia.In addition,NAPSA contributions should be also used as collateral in borrowing from the Banks.it does not make sense when a person is 55 thats wen he starts planning for wat,bcoz of the low salaries pipo can’t budget and plan properly for life after retirement hence the need for them to be relieved from fulltime employment to contribute to the country in other forms.
In addition,we all know that the motive behind the changing the retirement age is not genuine.PF wants to change the retirement age from 55 to 65years because they do no want during the reign of His Excellency Micheal Sata for the next ten years(Two Terms)to have anything to do with retirees.Meaning who ever is due for retirement next year won’t be paid but they will be defered to after ten years.Meaning the PF Goverment will be using funds of these new retirees to pay for the arears and divert funds to other things.Thereby leaving retirees problems for whoever will take up after 2021.
Shamenda so you have good plans of bringing more of your friends in the system… ka…. go ahead mwana we already made a mistake by voting for your party in power. What do you think our voices can do now. nothing… all the best in your governance…but remember not all birds are chickens. (ubuchenjeshi bwakoko pungwa tasakamana)
sata and shamenda are guilty of ruling at adbvanced ages, so they want to make it feel less embarassing….bamoneni, bonse mu kafulumente bakote ukufunishako fye abanono….
Shamenda is a finished character. Just look at his grey hair and beard. He still wants to pretend to work despite his old age. Leave jobs for young people…..
When are our children ever going to work with this 65 years issue????????
The end is nigh for this govt and it shall be disastrous. Mark my words,. Who is forcing who here? Isnt it the Sata guy who in his electro frenzy announced of such outrageous changes without an iota of consideration of reality on the ground?? Just becoz the retirement age in europe is that high doesnt mean it shud be the case even in zed. We are a hundred light years behind and we cant be just copying and pasting everything.Â
Correct. But Shamenda and co should focus on job creation rather than securing already present jobs. PF policy here is lacking.
What do you expect from such already retired people. As soon as Zambians become objective we are going to realise that HH is the best altenative for the Zambian presidency. The young man is hardworking & focus & very much development oriented.
I wonder if my child will ever get a job in this alread retired & finished man run government. 2016 Zambians try HH.
65 years iliche. Why bother after all its just a number 65. I end here!
Shamenda too dirty , please we need sanity in parliament atase ..shave
Calibre of PF ministers
even if they are given 90 yrs nothing tangible would com up
The motive behind the retirement age adjustment is clear. Sata doesnt want to have retirees in his tenure.Â
but the question is, when are you going to enjoy your package if many have been failing to have it at 55?..
Most malondas we see in town are those who rtitired from the armed forces.Where they retired early?Does 38 years life expectancy mean by 38 you should be dead?Perhaps we should see when and how we comment.And we also have to observe our considerations
where is mushoata the man?
The retirees we see looking for jobs or as destitutes(except for those who did not and have not gotten their pensions under Defined Benefits Scheme) is not as the result of early retirement or retiring at 55 but poor financial literacy.These people squander their retirement packages due to poor financial decisions.NAPSA should emulate the South African Pension Fund that have since acknowledged the problem and embarked on financial literacy especially among blacks to avoid adult destitution and ‘sebana wikute’ as we can see how the old are scrambling for jobs in PF.
Look at the man, including his excellency, we deserve better.
Give facts about why you are saying no to 65 instead of just yapping. Who told that you die at 38?lt is not must.However,it must be debatable and the majorit must win.Mr Sata listens .
Life expectancy is 45 yrs at least move retirement age to 60 then after 20 yrs then move it to 65
Hey…..bloggers…if your life expectancy is 38, some of us its 99,so watch your mouth:we want to work up to 65 and remain atleast with 34 enjoying our money…plz…shut up……
Kanele,
You are the one who has a problem with facts. Life expectancy in Zambia has never been 38 years in the last thirty years. Look at page 114, volume 10 of the 2000 Population and Housing Census Report published by the Central Statistical Office. This shows the following facts: the overall life life expectancy in 1980 was 52 years, in 1990 it was 47 years, and in 2000 it was 50 years. Where on earth did you get your life expectancy of 38 years?
This is the problem with some union leaders. Ever since this debate on retirement age started, I haven’t heard a single union leader who has made reference to the CSO reports on life expectancy.
Ladies and Gentlemen let us bring common sense to this Parliament.The retirement debate must have realistic based on hard data. Life expectancy,experience,education.In my view instead of moving it to 65 the best would be to move it to 60.Many retirees those who retired at 55 on average they waited 3-6 yrs to get their retirement benefits and 15-20% of the retirees died without collecting their retirement cheque.Raising this to 60 will be welcomed by the people of Zambia
HH is too tribal to be presido of Zambia. He is running a Bantustan political party and you still thinks he can spring a surprise, Kallilo?? May be Alia Chipimo Jnr can do better than this tribal HH. Please people, let us forget about HH becoming a presido!! He will never be president of the republic of Zambia. God will never allow a tribal element to run this country. God raises and anoints leaders. HH can destroy this country over his tribalism disorder.
Sata and Shamenda believe there is NO unemployment in Zambia. They believe there is a critical shortage of labour, hence the move to block the aged from retiring from employment. What does CSO say about employment levels in Zambia?
shamenda is one reason we have not delivered our 90days promise as pf….the man is so docile…..labour was critical in our campaingns but wat has he done in 90days ….slept…..if i was president i was goin to fire you right now
So you union leader have stuck with what someone told you that you die at 38 in Zambia? Roy by theway how old are you? What has coused people to die at this age if it is true? Is it Aids or poverty? What are you doing about them which i know sane people are able to overcome. Why should you be happy to die at 38 when God meant to let us grow old. Buchintomfwa (Promiscuity) ,corruption,lazyness and other negatives make people die early and that must not be accepted . It can be changed . In short ba union,you are educated. Why can’t you argue in a systimatic way ? I hope this will be done in other debates. Do you even know that all workers don’t want the 65 years?
By now shamenda is supposed to be an employer. He is supposed to share the experience he acquired during service to his employees. 65yrs retirement age is selfishness by the old. They want to continue blocking the many jobless young people.
why would somebody refuse to recieve a salary up until they are 65 more money in your pocket . besides that it makes you useful
Mr shamenda and the govt lets do things tha will benefit the majority of the zambian people,and the majority are the youths,if you increase the retirement age to 65 when are the youths gonna work ha?u will bring avoke in the country,bcozw the majority,aint working,and only the old lazy tired fatiguerd poeple are the only ones who will be in employment.livin no employment for the young.Mr fackson and the qgovernment please concentrate on creating more jobs and not that that will disadvantage the youth ,come lets be serious in the way we do things
Yaba,
You are peddling the usual childish misconception that if retirement age is raised to 65 years this will block young people from progressing. How is this possible when there so few older people above 50 years? According to the CSO report based on the 2000 Census of Population and Housding, Volume 10, page 24, the population of Zambians above 50 years is only 7.4 percent; those below 50 years make up more than 92.4 percent of the population. How can so few block so many? The problem is that it is the youths who are blocking each other because there are too many of them looking for a limited number of jobs!! This is because of this country’s high fertility, resulting in a rapid rate of increase in the population of the youth.
What is 7.4% of 13million and while you are it, please inform us what is the current number of those in full employment ? isnt it roughly 600pin? These oldies are blocking the young generation by further asking for an extention of retirement age
Yaba,
This has nothing with the few older people blocking young people! Many of the older people are not even in employment because they are retired. Some of the older people are, in fact, entrepreneurs employing some young people! Where is this epidemic of hatred against old people coming from? Don’t these young bloggers realize that they will also get old one day?
I meant to say “those below 50 years make 92.4 percent of the population.”
Dear fellow bloggers, I know we have had misunderstanding on several issues during the year, but, is it just me or Shamenda has really got to cut off his beird? He is a disturbing figure to look at.
Government shouldnt force the retirement age on the workers. Its the workers who should propose the age as they are the ones who know the good and bad sides of being in employment. 65 years is to much, especially for risky jobs. Imagine working in Xray room or a teacher being exposed to chalk dust for 45 years. Its a capital NO to 65 yrs.
There is no need argueing over the retirement age. Even now any one is free to retire even before attaining 55 years as long as one has served the required number of year to qualify for early retirement. This leaves us with the freedom to choose whether to remain in employment or not. There are those rare brains which must not be wasted: high class lecturers in technical fields, Engineers,specialised sodiers, doctors etc. But heavy duty jobs like those done by miners underground. These should not work up to 65 years for sure. And there are people who do not like to retire.
Iwe chi Shamenda stop troubling my wife. Uleke ukumutumina ama phone ulichikulu sana! Uleti nokuti stop calling me sir. What gives you the right to call my wife for none official issues. Does her refusal to dance with you at your end of year party a problem? Ukaponoka!
wat the fxxxxxxxx is this?…that rif-ruf proposing your wife….hahahahahahahahahahahah….
These thieves in pf want to rob all workers their retirement package by extending the retirement age. How else can one recieve all his benefits when they are 6ft under. daylight robbery. Pay the arrears and fulfill your promise to them of mo money in their pockets.
Ok. We know there is a big cash flow benefit for govt by shifting retirement to 65. Zambia is also one of the lowest in the region in terms of retirement age at 55yrs. This came from KK`s `go back to the land` policies of the 70s and 80s so that at least you have some energy when you retire to go farming. It is no longer the case. People still work and farm. Officially life expectancy is at 52yrs. So let`s strike a balance and close this debate by all accepting 60 yrs as retirement age. Shamenda, present my well thought proposal to parliament please. Period!
The agony is that all proponents of 65 years are above 65 and they believe that at 65 one is still young. The same old people are in decision making positions and may manipulate the system to achieve their selfish desires. Abash 65 years as we need to create jobs for our children who are roaming the streets with degrees.
Amanda