PRESIDENT Mwanawasa says it is difficult for Government to reasonably improve conditions of service for its workers because some of the unionised employees aren involved in thefts and abuse of public resources.
“How can we improve workers’ conditions when money is being stolen and abused by your (trade union) members and workers are ever going on strike? It takes two to tangle and so both Government and the workers must be prudent in handling public resources,” he said.
Mr Mwanawasa said this in Lusaka yesterday during Labour Day celebrations.
He said this year’s theme contained important milestones, which were necessary ingredients in realising desired industrial harmony in the country.
Mr Mwanawasa said the milestones were healthy because they promoted a safe working environment and increased productivity.
“It is essential that as we commemorate this important day, we reflect seriously on our achievements with regard to promoting and sustaining workers’ rights and decent work through social dialogue.
“All these can be enhanced through measures and mechanisms that we have taken and established which are at our disposal as social partners,” he said.
Mr Mwanawasa said Government was committed to accelerating the realisation of this year’s Labour Day theme through the inclusion of a chapter on employment and labour in the Fifth National Development Plan and the implementation of the country’s decent work programme in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
Mr Mwanawasa said social dialogue was an important means of sharing and exchanging ideas to resolve problems on the labour market.
He said Government had institutionalised social dialogue through the ratification of convention 144, of 1976, which had been domesticated through the Industrial and Labour Relations Act Cap 269 of the Laws of Zambia.
Mr Mwanawasa said through this Act, Government was obliged to meet its social partners not less than twice a year to exchange views on labour matters, human resource development and issues that included legislation, policies and programmes.
He said regular labour inspections should be complemented by educational awareness campaigns with regard to the provisions of the Employment Act, the Industrial and Labour Relations Act, Minimum Wages and Conditions of Employment Act and the Factories Act.
He said promoting and sustaining workers’ rights required concerted efforts by stakeholders.
Mr Mwanawasa said workers should be educated on the provisions of the labour laws so that they could claim their rights.
He said government on its part would endeavour to maintain a sound industrial relations climate for conducting business.
The President said under the decent work programme for Zambia which Government in collaboration with ILO was developing, greater employment opportunities would be created and adequate social protection provided.
He also said workers’ rights would be respected while meaningful social dialogue among social partners would be guaranteed.
“Having taken these measures, Government will concentrate on facilitating the creation of more jobs to absorb school leavers and graduates into gainful employment.
To create more opportunities for decent employment, Government has introduced a number of intervention measures in the FNDP,†he said.
Mr Mwanawasa said with regard to social protection, Government had already started implementing social security reforms to ensure harmonisation of fragmented schemes in the country and to improve the coverage and delivery of services.
The President has since instructed the Minister of Labour and Social Security Ronald Mukuma to finalise the social security policy, which would also carter for workers in the informal sector.
“In this regard, the informal sector operators and individual players in the economy may contribute to the National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA),†he said.
Mr Mwanawasa also said child labour should be tackled through a multi-dimensional approach involving various stakeholders.
The President also appealed to members of Parliament to consult their electorate before making laws.
And President Mwanawasa took a swipe at some employers who did not have representation at the celebrations.
“Some of these employers invited me when they were opening their companies, but now they don’t want to see me.
Let them not call me for any event if they are not prepared to dance with their employees.
“While we are happy that they are making money and that there is a level of industrial peace, we are not happy that they are not giving us support,” he said.
And that starts from you LPM. You are the biggest thief. If you know the are thieves,what is the Police doing about it? Waiting for your directives/instructions as usual? You are pointing 1 finger at the Government worker’s,look how many fingers are pointing at you? These workers go months without pay, how do you expect them to survive and feed their children. LPM,sometimes your speeches amaze me, but because you are a lawyer, i understand you. Lawyers are people who can say this,when with 1 client, and oppose themselves again when with another client. 5 years of instructions, again your are instructing the Minister of Labour.
Levy you need deliverance,you are to blame, your selective pursuit in the fight against perpetrators has caused led to this thieving business which has become perenial .Your own PS are the biggest criminals Zambia has ever had.Richard Chizyuka,Dr miti,PS lands,Ps communication etc are all these unionised workers in you mind?LPM as head of state start enganging the brain before the mouth.You are full of deadmen’s bones.You sign loans with China without consulting the nation , why are you directing MPs to do what you have exempted yourself from?You are a living wolve in sheeps clothing.Stop complaining about the infestors you have brought,the fact that they got what they wanted, they have shown you the true colors , they have become untouchable, you have sold the innocent citizens to them because of nchekelako,If you were a company we would have liquidated you without wasting time
LPM, it is not rocket science to reduce thieving. You know Bash Lubona, that workers are underpaid. The economy is not lenient to low-income earners. And not to say it is a good idea, but they use initiative to make ends meet. Improve the economy, raise salaries, suspend $53k car loans,trim your Cabinet etc, maybe you will just be able to reduce thieving.
LPM is a worker.He works for me and for u.When he says some workers are thieves,he is trying to come out clean,but when u scrutinise him and his juniors,whom he is harbouring,u will find that they are the real thieves.His juniors who have been caught and exposed in the public are treated usuing the Russian Maffia System.When u don’t submit ya gains to the top boss to get his %,they expose u to the public.LPM and his ministers are the ones hindering developmentat the expense of job creation,fight against corruption,to mention but a few.They are the ones who control all our money.It’s very dull and unintellectual of LPM to make such sentiments…Anyway,it’s the common folks who were at that rally.The workers who can’t question him,so thats why he was trying to please them and come out clean to them.Otherwise,LPM,just like JFT are big crooks and thieves………..
LPM you are chief thief, “top class thief” u should not even point a finger to ur fellow workers. You are a custodian of all our monies in this nation, you use it in any way u want. If I were u i should not even open my mouth to talk thieving when every one knows very well that ur eating fruit on our heads. So just shout up and continue eating ‘masuku pamitwe yasu’. Remember, 2011 is not far. Yur immunity will be removed and u know what will happen. Ask the person who wake u up, he will tell u what he is going through. He is sick because of cruelty to him. what makes you think it wont happen to u. SO JUST SHOUT UP AND ENJOY WHILE IT LAST. U CHIEF THIEF.
The heading was supposed to have read ‘’ we are thieves’’, what our cabinet do by buying expensive vehicles for there use and state house use is equivalent to stealing from the four hundred thousand poor tax payers who at the end of the day will have pay through there nose for education, medical bills, food etc. There are a lot of good quality cheaper vehicles that these ministers can use there by saving resources that can be channeled to the areas mentioned above. When you look at France which is a developed country ministers are driven in Peugeot cars because they know the priority areas were to spend money. Over and above to maintain this fleet of vehicles costs a lot of tax payers money.These guys indeed need deliverance, remember levy Jesus said it can be easier for a camel to go through a needle than you greedy chaps to enter the kingdom of God. So you guys were are you headed to?
Let the police arrest all the thieves! Do you have evidence?
LPM is a amongest them, that is why he is rushing to blow the wistle so that we all think that he is a clean man, but in the actual sense he is not.
The law will vist you LPM after your term we are watching you!!!!!!!