As Labour Day approaches, it is important to reflect on the state of workers’ rights in Zambia. I wish to draw urgent attention to the plight of casual workers at ZESCO, who continue to endure unsafe and unfair working conditions.
Casual workers are deployed without proper protective equipment such as work suits, gum boots, and gloves, in clear violation of Section 13 of the Employment Code Act No. 3 of 2019, which requires employers to ensure a safe working environment. Furthermore, they are made to work on weekends and public holidays without receiving the mandatory overtime or double pay as provided under Section 48 of the same Act.
Disturbingly, these workers can be terminated with as little as one day’s notice, often without due process or representation, despite Section 5 of the Act guaranteeing every worker the right to join and be represented by a union. Additionally, Section 28 of the Act prohibits “casualisation,” yet casual employees at ZESCO continue to perform permanent duties without being transitioned to full-time contracts.
President Hakainde Hichilema has emphasized that “labour is a critical factor of production” and stressed that the government “takes labour issues seriously,” maintaining an open-door policy for workers’ concerns (Lusaka Times, December 2023). During last year’s Labour Day celebrations, he further urged all employers to prioritize the welfare of their employees, stating, “Workers are the engine of the economy… Employers, investors, let’s take care of employees” (ILO News, May 2023).
In the spirit of these commitments and as Labour Day draws near, it is my sincere appeal to ZESCO management and relevant authorities to urgently review the status of casual workers, comply fully with the law, and offer these workers permanent employment and dignified working conditions.
Labour Day should not just be about speeches and parades — it should be a time to act decisively to uphold the rights and dignity of all workers.
Concerned Citizen
This is not a message to the people of zambia. It is for the ministry of labor reminding them their role as a ministry to help the zambian people. It is the only ministry I consider to be inactive in our country. They are so relaxed
We already have a overly bloated GRZ
So casuals are necessary whilst at the same time conditions have to be respected
We often caste stones at foreigners for allegedly under paying and mistreating our workers and yet we ourselves are even worse! Zesco is no longer what it used to be and no longer pays it’s casuals well. The same applies with some givt councils who often dont even pay for months at times. How do you point a finger at others when you yourself are the worst culprit. This is so sad! So in light of this we need to see inspectors first visiting govt and parastatals, how do you a labour inspector go and inspect somewhere else when your own house is a mess, you only go elsewhere when there are ulterior motives such as corruption! This must stop today!
Casual workers are supposed to mature to permanent employees. But that does not happen and that is the gist of the article. How does one work for 10 years renewable every one or othé year?
Quasi-government firms must refrain from this type of casualisation however necessary it may seem to be.