Government has warned of stern action on heavy Industries’ companies allowing their workers to work without safety attire.
Labour Minister Chishimba Kambwili said government will not compromise on safety standards and will ensure that all workers are protected
He said Government hold with high esteem the lives of the Zambian workers and will do everything possible to see that the work in safe environment
ZANIS reports the minister saying this during a conducted a tour at Scaw ltd a company which is involved in metal re-moulding in kitwe today.
He also chased away some of the workers after observing that they were handling metals without safety gloves.
He ordered the workers to go back and only report when the company acquires safety clothing for them.
He also issued a two day ultimatum to the company to address the safety issues and further urged the workers to report to his office if the company management fails to address the problem.
Mr Kambwili also castigated the some Zambian workers and there supervisors for defending the company’s flaws
He be mourned that the workers and supervisors were not giving him correct information during his tour regarding the company’s condition of services despite them tipping him through the phone.
The Minister who also toured chambeshi copper smelter (CCS) in Kalulushi asked management both companies to stop casualization
Mr kambwili said his government does not encourage companies to offer workers contracts but urged them to put all its essential workers on full time and pensionable jobs.
He has since directed labour officers to closely work with the two companies and ensure that they putting its workers on full time
The minister has meanwhile urged management at Chambeshi to stop reduce outsourcing Chinese workers he advised the company to stop the trend but instead help to Zambian workers through technological transfer by equipping them with necessary knowledge to run the company.
He also urged the company to start giving its workers better salaries in order to motivate them.
Meanwhile CCS chief executive officer Yang Xinguo said the company is currently working on the need to start localization of labour.
ZANIS
@ The tip him but when he comes they can not give ccorrect information……lol.Dont kubeba.
nice 1 kambwili. hit them hard, they are so unjust these employers.
Am begining to like this mr hoe\:d/ this is the ministry is supposed having been given in the first place. Yes indeed safety comes first!Â
So has he declared a ‘legal strike’ or are these new employment regulations?
Kambwili should be commended for the tough stance taken on safety and cazualization, but this should not promote dictatorial/commandist tendency by government. Ideally Kambwili should direct management and not workerz.
Kambwili, dont get fired from Labor as well. This guy is too Mpatamoto, very unrefined that’s why he couldn’t handle foreign affairs.
This is just the perfect job for Chishimba K. # 2, pintoz, I like the hoe vocabulary. I head that from the grand p. :)Â
What they do in a civilised country is that the Health and Safety institutions take the company to court if the law is breached.
In a banana republic, a minister orders.
But what can one do if the health and safety institutions are ignorant, toothless and corrupt? May be just go the banana way if it achieves the desired results.
ok, time to switch to eurosport channel 410 for zed/libya guys before the minister orders that the match should not take place.
Editor – Please pay attention to the grammar in your publications – This is an online newspaper- meaning it is accessed globally.Â
Minister Of Labor – Great job, keep up that good work. Nomba donchi uku kula umutwe…
Since Zambians feel power is only with the President and the Ministers, this action by Hon. Kambwili is in order. If the employees request by themselves they are fired for asking for the right things. If they go to the Labour Officers, the fools are bribed and nothing happens. So this is the best way to settle wrongs in the employment market! Congratulations Minister!
Can someone explain Why Chinese don’t pay PAYE tax but they work on Zambian soil? Check ZRA payroll system, Check Huawei, zte and chambishi mine payroll systems at ZRA. Its unfair.
Mr Kambwili can you also educate the workers to stop selling the safety gear and then claim that they were not given
Very true!! Where are the Compliance Officers in the Ministry of Labour and The Safety Officers in The Ministry Of Mines? Busy signing off on certificates of safety when they haven’t done their job. Head should roll. There are folks that are trainable and capable to do the task.
It is very annoying that companies deliberately ignore our labour laws and get to doing things the way they like. @#8 the Saint, such companies deserve no legal attention. If you take them to court, the governemnt will start wasting money for obvious cases.The action our dear Minister has taken is the best. Becoz managemnet of this company have been delibaretly ignoring safety rules.
Way to go, just like Miles Sampa put it, btn muntu and invester, w’ll choose muntu
‘If it barks, it does not bite’ so goes the wise saying. Given the amount of hard barking that was done during the run-up to elections about the Chinese management style, lack of it, and the sudden softening after winning the elections, maybe the saying should now be modified to ‘if it barks, it just want a bone for itself that’s all’.
Instead of always yapping and shouting orders like a Drill Sergeant to new cadets implement sustainable long-term measures or schemes that companies should abide to and are encouraged to join.Â
A typical example of this is The Considerate Constructors Scheme in the UK which is a the national initiative, set up by the construction industry, to improve its image.
Sites and companies that register with the Scheme are monitored against a Code of Considerate Practice, designed to encourage best practice beyond statutory requirements.Â
Time to start thinking outside the box chaps scare tactics seldom work in the long term!!
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Mr Fackson Sha-repair should also mend ZANIS, ati BE MOURNED? Yaba! It is bemoaned mwebantu. *smh* As my teacher, Levy Hamakala would say, chizungu nchizungu!
@ #16 Kwekwe – Very true!! Where are the Compliance Officers in the Ministry of Labour and The Safety Officers in The Ministry Of Mines? Busy signing off on certificates of safety when they haven’t done their job. Head should roll. There are folks that are trainable and capable to do the task. There are systems to ensure that statues & Statutory Instruments are followed. Officers who get paid to ensure culprits adhere to this. Why is the law not being enforced? The Minister’s barking is lip service and undermines the law. Fire the folks not doing their job at the ministry of Labour charges to ensure the law is upheld.
Mr Hoe is doing a great deal, keept it up Honourable.
Mr hoe is showing the chocholiz the kind of diplomacy..they understand.
Perfect for his position, he was a misfit for foreign affairs! He has too much energy that he needs to use to fight these infesters! He also needs to instil such vibrancy in the labour officers because he can not do this alone all the time like a prefect.
STOP CASUALISATION – HUUM! KE KE KE KE KE KE KE KE KE KE PF. THEY THINK THEY ARE CLEVER THAN ALL PIPO ON EARTH. THESE GUYZ WILL BE DRIBBLED.
i think this is a reasonable request on the industries. but the minister needs to go further by empowering the supervising agents to check on these industries.
Number 6, you have no clue who Honourable Chishimba is all about. Instead of displaying your ignorance find time to know him better.
N.14 you are right education is needed to the workers. Some they don’t see the importance. Well good job so far Mr. Ministers.