Workers at Fubest Supermarket, a Chinese owned business in Kasama District, Northern Province, have turned down tools demanding improved working conditions of service.
The workers say they do not know their conditions of service and that they knock off late and are not provided with transport or overtime allowances.
The workers said in Kasama today that management at the company has refused to issue them contract letters despite working for two years.
“We get very low salaries of between K800 and K1, 200 per month, and the salaries are also not fixed, because they keep on changing from time to time,” they complained.
The workers who later stormed the labour office also revealed that the supermarket does not even pay social security for them.
But Fubest Director, Yan Jian, who appeared before the Federation of Free Trade Unions of Zambia (FFTUZ) and the Labour office denied all accusations made by the employees.
Mr Yan however, has promised to improve working conditions of workers after he was engaged on a number of labour related issues.
Meanwhile, FFTUZ committee member Amos Muselema has expressed concerns over continued lack of adherence of the country’s labour laws by some employers.
“There is a need for both employees and their employer’s especially foreign investors, to acquaint themselves with labour laws and industrial related documents for them to work effectively,” Mr Muselema said.
He explained that FFTUZ and Fubest management need to ensure that employee’s working conditions are improved for the better.
And Acting Senior Labour Officer, for Northern Province Mathews Shimoomba said his office will remain committed towards promoting conducive working conditions for employees
“The labour office will engage Fubest management so that they can follow the country’s labour laws,” he stressed.
Mr Shimoomba has since advised the workers to go back to work while his office works to ensure their interests are protected.
Racists in our own country, black man will never escape
My bro lusambo is on the case. Iwe chi you need to come back home. How can you be respected when you run to live in your former oppressors land
@KZ, came here in my early teens, all investments is here, with our dear house in Surrey, will return one day
Well, let me put it in layman’s terms.
Your government does not care about your grievances. They only care about enriching themselves silly.
That is why citizens get abused in their own country. These foreigners feel comfortable to even not allow black citizens in the restaurants they operate. And they are fully backed and protected by government.
You saw how Miles Sampa was disciplined recently.
Let them improve the conditions for the workers… They should formalise these conditions
Circus going on. Zambians as expendables feeding the craving corruption of Zambian leadership – investments in supermarket – yes, low wages is justifiable from supermarket owners – they have to break-even to cover costs – high wages should come from super high sales. Kasama residents sustain this supermarket with more money in your pockets for supermarket workers to earn higher wages.
These companies must be monitored from time to time by the labour officers
I thought Zambia had a minimum wage figure for every employer to meet, the minimum wage is the guideline for any employer and I thought it was in the laws of Zambia.
ATI DON’T BLAME THE GOVERNMENT JUST WORK HARD.
Problem is that there are allowed to commence operations without any regard for our laws and even when they are availed the labour laws, they ignore them with impunity.
We just need to create stiffer laws against these foreigners so that they fear from abrogating them because of its dire consequences.
DONT COMPLAIN CONDITIONS OF SERVICE BLA BLA BLA GO INVEST IN WHAT WE ARE DOING BE YOUR OWN BOSS DONT JUST BE CRY BABIES, IF U DARE ALSO GO AND INVEST IN OUR CHINA PUT UP A SHOPPING MALL IN BEIJING AND PAY LOW SALARIES TO CHINESE PEOPLE
That’s sad for the workers. Hope no one will be fired for airing their grievances
Sukkin that chinese sausage is so wonderful – it feels just like the Mahlungu bum sausage from UK.