Management at CNMC-Luanshya Copper Mines has been directed to immediately reinstate the eleven workers that were dismissed for allegedly inciting their colleagues to go on strike.
The directive is from Labour Deputy Minister Rayford Mbulu who is disappointed with CNMC management for not heeding government’s call to reinstate the dismissed employees.
The Eleven workers were fired last week.
The visibly annoyed Deputy Minister is not pleased with management whom he has accused of failing to dialogue with government on the workers conditions of service.
Mr. Mbulu who was flanked by Luanshya Mayor Nathan Chanda and Luanshya Member of Parliament Steven Chungu drafted a Memorandum of Understanding between management and the workers.
Mr. Mbulu was speaking during a brief meeting held with CNMC management , National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) and Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) officials at the general offices in Luanshya on Monday.
[ZNBC]
Mbulu is a small fish in the scheme of things. The Chinese dined at state house remember?
Also he should remember that he is now minister and not leader of MUZ. I am not taking sides, but why can’t these guys accept their new roles as government and not opposition or union leaders? Does government own that mine to give directives or they should use diplomacy?
directives indeed. use them at all costs now that you are the boss. infact make sure that the zctu leadership, hikaumba, roy and the rest should always attend such meetings cos the fools really gave zambian workers a raw deal.
What legal basis does government have to direct a private firm who to hire and who not to hire? If the workers were wrongfully dismissed, surely this is a matter for the courts to decide and not for a ministerial directive …let alone one coming from a deputy minister, MP, and a mayor. If the firm acted illegally govt can charge them, else it must leave human resource decisions to management. Amateurs!
Government interference, let the unions negotiate and prove to their members that belonging to their union pays and its benefitial.
Clearly, this Rayford Mbulu needs to be taken thru a quick induction course in his new role as deputy Labour Minister, before he does more harm in enhancing investor confidence and subsequent job creation. A quick brush on diplomacy will go a long way.