The Open Society Foundation has welcomed the announcement of the long awaited for minimum wages by government.
Foundation Executive Director Sunday Chanda told Qfm news in an interview that the PF government needs to be commended for the courageous move taken to empower the poor Zambians.
Mr. Chanda however urged government to strengthen enforcement of the signed statutory instruments to ensure that companies comply.
He says even though upward adjustment of the minimum wages does not tally with the current food basket, the step taken by government is a milestone to implementing its campaign promises to the Zambians.
Labor minister Fackson Shamenda this morning announced the revised minimum wages which is pegged at K1, 132,400 in most categories of workers.
This follows the signing and issuing of statutory instruments No. 45 of 2012 for domestic workers, 46 of 2012 for general workers and 47 of 2012 for shop workers to effect these changes and the amendment of statutory instruments order 2011 No. 1 of 2011, order 2011 No. 2 of 2011 and order 2011 No. 3 of 2011.
Ish what were they getting before iyi,amount includes tarnsport and housing yayi nditu :((
Bravo PF !!!! No more tuma 200 pin for shoprite workers despite each shop making over 50 million kwacha per day.
This is over 100% increment. Its a good start. We still need to do more
It seems you don’t know what inflation means!!!
THIS IS REALLY A GOVERNMENT FOR THE POOR!BRAVO PF AND MICHAEL ANGELO
Time to retrench the kaponyas. Halve the number of employees, double their pay and demand double productivity. That is the only solution.
O yea, this is good! It will make employers more innovative in their operations.
We need further analysis
This is a motivational move……!; Most of Zambian workers get less than what they put in. Minimum wage will give for a worker at Shoprite in Ndola; and a proposed minimum expenditure for a family of three ( Father, Mother and a daughter aged 5):- K38,000=00 mealie meal (25kg) per month; One Roomed rental house in Twapia for K350,000=00; Bathing soap and washing powder at K38,000=00 per months. Transport, to and fro shoprite workplace for K75,000=00; 10kg sugar per month at K75,000=00; 5littles Cooking oil per month K65,000=00. Vegetables, tomatoes, onion per month at K150,000=00; and bread per month at K150,000=00. Thus totals up to K937,000=00. This means the family do not eat a chicken nor meat, no medical and education allocation etc.
PF HAS FULLFILLED ITS ELECTION PROMISE MOREMONEY IN YOUR POCKETS AND THE PRESIDENT MUST BE COMMANDED .THE PEOPLE MUST NOT EXPECT EVERYTHING OVER NIGHT BUT HAVE TO GIVE THE PF GOVT ATLEAST 2 YEARS BEFORE THEY CAN IMPLIMENT BETTER LIFE FOR ALL COMMON ZAMBIANS. PEOPLE THAT ARE BARKING LOUD AGAINST THE PF ARE ALL OPPOSITION CADRESWHO ARE PAID TO PAINT BAD PICTURES FOR THE RULING GOVT. ZONDA YOU KAPONYAS UZA LEMA CHABE.
No doubt minimum wage is for good intentions, but workers and employees must not rush companies to implement, this must done slowly and sure. For example only new job offers must be based on new wages only. This is to avoid mass retrenchment and downsizing. Mata has good plans but no minister can advise him for fear of losing their jobs when he errors. Example brilliant pipo like Bum siyachinga in finance are now total fools who can’t express themselves properly. Gay Scouts is confused as what role to play? May chola boy!
I is a good move though still the money is not enough. For the start it is fine. Let Zambian workers regain their diginity and respect. Thanks.
uushitasha pakono ne fikalamba teti ateshe….I congratulaute the government.
Let them look for professionals also not only unza lecturers. Unions open your eyes.
You people have still not understood that now everything will increase ie: diesel,meile meal, bread, cooking Oil , sugar ……….so what benefit has this revised wage brought if the buying power remains the same???
Only targeting investors forgetting that Zambian and single parent families are employers too! This may strengthen extended family ties as we go out identifying our long forgotten relatives ready to surrender a niece, nephew, grand child or an orphan to come live with us!
This is an unwise move, theres gonna be massive downsizing , most of workers are very low producivity and efficiency , should not be paid for doin very little. bussinesses can survive by hiring peace work jobs which will proove cheaper for them than this minimum wage nonsense. Minimum wage is for developed countries where they know what they are talking about and doing. You might as well try introducing social welfair lol !
THINGS ARE EASILY SAID THAN DONE.IT WAS GOING TO BE PRUDENT IF GOVERMENT WAS THE MAJOR EMPLOYER OF THESE PEOPLE,HOWEVER, MOST OF THESE PEOPLE ARE EMPLOYED BY PRIVATE ENTERPRISES AND THEY HAVE THE MANDATE TO MOVE WHERE THEY CAN RE-INVEST THIER MONIES AND MANY PEOPLE WILL LOSE EMPLOYMENT AS COMPANIES WILL REDUCE THE LABOUR FORCE AND OUR RELATIVES AND CHILDREN WILL WORK IN THEIR SHOPS.
SO A BALANCE MUST BE STRIKE OTHERWISE THIS WILL NOT SOLVE THE DESIRED EMPLOYMENT OPPRTUNITIES.
I have fired the maid she can come for piece work when she needs money. i have also told my dependents to do some works for talk time and weekend pocket money rather than pay a maid 522 grand. Forget it.
we are not sure what basic qualifications Domestic Worker are supposed to have to get that much?
I think all should take a step back and think of the results this will bring, Inflation and loss of employment……….Still think its a wise move???????
Inflation and loss of employment!!? ba angel how? the maths don’t add up…
THE REAL SPIRAL EFFECT IS DOMESTIC WORKER BEING DOWNSIZED/ FIRED, PIECE JOBS . OTHERS WILL OPT TO STAY/FEED THEIR RELATIVES INSTEAD OF EMPLOYING.
 IT MEANS SALARIES FOR THEIR MASTERS WILL INCREASE BY A PARTICULAR FACTOR USING THIS AS A REFERENCE POINT ASSUMING NON EXISTENT QUALIFICATIONS FOR DOMESTIC WORKERS.
I EVEN SEE MAIDS NOT REFUSING TO BE DONE TO JUSTIFY THEIR SALARIES.
This move does not make sense especially on salaries for domestic workers. If one gets K1,000,000 and has to pay a maid the amount of 500,000 then what is the point of working when u have to share the salary ?
These figures are very unrealistic, wait and see massive retrenchments. Very few can afford a maid at K520,000. Mr Minister you should have considered stratifying these conditions depending on industry, location, etc. Who can pay a maid K520,000 in Siavonga for instance?
#15 please be mindful, paying your fellow human being mita should bring issues of uneployment.The fortunate are earning more than 40 mita and its okay.A number of pipo are educated and getting peanuts and you still want them to continue.Lord have mess.
In South Africa our minimum wage is K453 159 ( R800). The avg Zambian is richer than an average South Africa. Continue leading the way Zambia!! We look up to you!!
ka Angel you are ka devil.look at how people are suffering.u can’t even feel pity 4 you friends who are suffering.
\:d/Maid-:-?Employer. Â Â Fired! Â Â Â :((Maid –Â :)Employer
maids issue is very serious most people will fail to meet this minimun wage because very few
people get above K1500000.dont forget that we also feed these maids.To some people it is
circumstance beyond there contro say a lady who works and has children at home.this person will be forced to look for a maid not neccesarly that this lady has lot of money
A minimum wage does not consider the source of money for the employer! All it considers is the fact that you can employ whoever you want to employ if you have the ability to pay in accordance with the law of the land. No one forces or pleads with any employer to employ, but if they do, they MUST follow the laid down guidelines and the labour law.
If I cant afford a maid, why employ one?
that is great Temfwe, you sound more human than the average contributor on this page.