ROAN Constituency Member of Parliament Chishimba Kambwili was misleading people by stating that China Non-ferrous Mining Corporation Luanshya Copper Mines (CLM) had placed some miners on three months probation when they had already worked over six months, company public relations officer Sydney Chileya has said.
Mr Chileya said in an interview yesterday that the three months period Mr Kambwili was talking about were probation period given to the miners as stipulated by labour laws of Zambia.
“It is far from the truth that we have placed these workers on probation unfairly. They are on probation as stipulated by the law, all the unionised workers have been given full time and pensionable jobs,” Mr Chileya said.
Mr Kambwili was quoted in the media early this week that the mining firm had placed its workers on probation after the initial six months, which he said was “nonsense”.
Mr Chileya said the six months contracts CLM gave the miners when it took over the operations of the firm last June was to facilitate the registration of the company and signing of the recognition agreement with the mine unions.
‘All this has been done on time, the company has been registered and the union has been recognised, they just held branch elections recently,” Mr Chileya said.
He said senior management staff were put on various renewable contracts depending on their skills and that nobody had less than a year contract.
Mr Chileya said the contracts were effective of January 1 this year. So far, the mining company has employed 2,300 workers. He said negotiations on the conditions of service between management at the union were expected to start soon.
Mineworkers Union of Zambia officials too have supported Mr Chileya.
Union officials who spoke on condition of anonymity said it was important that politicians were kept from meddling in the operations of CLM because the investor has done everything in the best interest of the people.
[Times of Zambia]
