Zambia to revise minimum wage
By Staff Reporter
GOVERNMENT says it will soon revise the minimum wage upwards
Labour minister Joyce Simukoko said her ministry had concluded negotiations to revise the minimum wage, which has been submitted to the ministry of justice.
She said the minimum wage had remained the same for six years hence the need for its revision.
Simukoko also took a swipe at some union leaders who fail to spearhead workers’ interests.
“Am urging unions to ensure they use workers contributions for the intended purpose, my ministry has received disturbing reports that some unions are misapplying workers contributions,” said Simukoko . “Am also urging ZCTU to engage in employee empowerment negotiations, because times have changed and negotiating technics need to change”.
And ZCTU secretary general Cosmas Mukuka said his union was committed to improving the welfare of workers by providing harmonized relations between the government, employers and employees.
Meanwhile, National Union for Public and Private Educators of Zambia (NUPPEZ) in Chama District has urged teacher unions to work in the best interest of teachers.
NUPPEZ Chama District Coordinator Lackson Lungu said unions get a lot of money from their members but do very little or nothing at all to benefit the members.
Lungu was speaking when he addressed teachers during an extraordinary union meeting held at Chama District Resource Centre over the weekend.
“Am urging teachers to demand good representation from their unions adding that a t-shirt or shirt at the end of each year cannot constitute teachers’ benefits, NUPPEZ is now a union of choice for many teachers because of its agenda towards empowerment of members,” said Lungu.
