More strikes at Chambishi

The Post reports over 400 workers at Chambishi Copper Smelter yesterday went on a one-day strike demanding a salary increment.

The workers wanted their salaries increased from K280 000 to about K1.2million per month. This is nearer to the wages paid in other mines. Having initially been refused union recognition, Chambishi workers have been on terrible terms and conditions for some time and have a history of tense relations with the Chinese management at NFC-A the mine owners.

National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) Chambishi branch shop steward John Kamboni and NUMAW president Mundia Sikufela confirmed the work stoppage in separate interviews yesterday.

Kamboni said workers had been complaining about inadequate safety at work. He said if nothing urgent was done, there would be a disaster at the smelter that was currently under construction.

“It is very difficult; how can one afford to take a child to school out of this small amount of money? We cannot even afford to pay for our rentals. Things are tough here,” complained Kamboni.

Some workers who declined to be named said it was very unfair that they were like slaves in their own country.
“We are suffering like this because of government. It is has tolerated these people for a long time,” he complained.

Sikufela, who also held talks with management in the presence of Kalulushi District Commissioner Joshua Mutisa, said the workers wanted management to speed up the salary negotiations. “The workers are also complaining of unfair treatment from management. They are saying they are not told the right stuff at the right time in terms of company information,” said Sikufela.

Sikufela, who addressed the workers and later, asked them to disperse from the company premises said the workers would report for work today (Tuesday) to allow salary negotiations continue. And Mutisa said the work stoppage was unnecessary and that it was important instead for workers to air the grievances through their union representatives.

On the worker’s demand to have their salaries increased to K1.2million from K280,000, Mutisa said the demands were just mere proposals. Efforts to get a comment from management officials failed by press time as their mobile phones were switched off.