Information, Broadcasting and Labour Minister Fackson Shamenda says it is dangerous for trade union leaders to talk about the minimum wage.
Mr. Shamenda said the minimum wage is meant for people who work as domestic workers and therefore trade unions who represent workers in public and private institutions do not qualify to comment on the minimum wage.
He said he never used to talk about the minimum wage when he was a trade union leader because he understood that it was outside his jurisdiction to do so.
Mr. Shamenda was speaking in Lusaka yesterday during the launch of the strategic plan for the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry for the period 2011-2015.
He said government was looking at the minimum wage sector based so that the wages for the different sectors can be varied.
He said if the minimum wage was to be made uniform for the different sectors, it would mean that workers in certain sectors will to have their wages reduced so as to be at par with workers in the other sectors.
Mr. Shamenda noted that this situation would undoubtedly not appeal to many workers especially in sectors that pay well.
Lately, some trade union leaders have been pestering government to announce the new minimum wage following President Michael Sata’s directive to the Minister of Labour late last year to revise the minimum wage in order to accord workers decent salaries.
QFM
How can you be discussing a strategic plan from 2011 -2015 when you are a third through the year 2012? The monkeys that urinated on RB definitely have moved into state house and are now running the country! So who will be fighting for the interests of the thousands of domestic workers?
Then who qualifies to talk about minimum wage Mr genius?
that is the question.
Every day, one wakes up to another U-turn on promises made during campaign time. Â
Iwe Kanponya number 1, ulekwatako umuchinshi waumfwa ayi.
VYAMBA, DOBO ONANI NDEVU ZAKE!
#4 I think you were referring to me but I dont understand that language you were writing in – can you please translate? I wonder what u-turn the monkeys will make tomorrow? Has Ukwa gone into hibernation again?
ke ke ke ke ke ke ke ke ke ke ke ke. I tell you!
Ba sha water here you have expressed really who you are and what you have said speaks volumes about the “permanent failures govt” how can you say it is for domestic workers ? have you visited any other company to know the minimum people are getting? finished poor thinking man. Ndola Central will be 10 years backwards with this kind of an MP.shame
This man doesnt think straight, he was one of the passengers in the trade union movement.dats why he couldnt comment’on anything. U dont need to go to a theatre hall, ukwa’s dynasty has it all.
Labour Minister expressing ignorance on the provisions for Minimum wages! S.I. No. 2 of 2011 section 2 (1) (c) states that Minimum wages order shall not apply to employees “engaged in domestic service”. Now the minister says this order is for domestic workers. Shamenda just admit you have failed and resign for failing the Zambian workers.
Shamenda, you are contradicting yourself. The minimum wage is dicussed at the tripartite level with employer representatives, workers representatives and government which is represented by the Ministry of Labour. If trade union representatives participate discussing the minimum wage at the tripartite body, how else do you say they are not supposed to talk about the minimum wage? You are confusing yourself bwana Shamenda.
If the trade unions cannot talk about minimum wage then who can?
Does this man understand the meaning of minimum wage?