Socialist Party says in Solidarity with struggling workers
By Staff Reporter
THE Socialist Party has declared solidarity with the Zambia Postal Services (ZAMPOST) striking workers despite the threat by management to fire them if they do not report for work today.
And the party says it will not be part of any political alliance or dialogue because the current players operate in an elitist capitalistic system with very little interest for the working class.
Speaking on a 5 FM Radio The Burning Issue programme Socialist Party media assistant to the General Secretary, Mwala Kalaluka said it was unfair and unnecessary for workers to be mistreated.
“It is strange that management is even threatening these workers. How do they expect them to work without pay because even slaves got paid wages for their efforts by their masters. Every worker is entitled to be paid for his labor without being threatened,” he said.
Kalaluka also condemned the mining companies that are threatening to lay off workers in view of the forth coming tax regime saying they are merely trying to exploit the workers and maximize profits.
“Their argument of saying they will make loses does not apply because in capitalism, there is what is known as surplus value which is basically centered on exploiting profits at the expense of the masses. What this means is that every worker puts in 8 hours labour but you pay them 2 hours wages. Meanwhile, the 6 hours is consumed by the capitalist. The price of the commodity should always be equal to the labour exerted,” he said.
The ZAMPOST Post Master General Brighton Ngoma, yesterday threatened the striking workers that of dismissals if they did not resume work in accordance with the provisions of the law whether their demands are met or not.
According to a circular 33/2018 released yesterday, the workers who have stayed away from work today will be disciplined because they risk jeopardizing the reputation of the organization which has been built over the years.
Meanwhile, mining companies this week threatened to cut off 21,000 jobs if government goes ahead and introduces the new tax measures in April next year.
On opposition political alliance, Kalaluka said the solution to the problems facing the country could not be resolved by political groupings whose interest was to reinforce exploitation.
He said it was not possible for the Socialists Party to form alliances with any of the elitist groups.
“ We need a socialist revolution which is a fundamental change of society, where now power moves to those who were being oppressed from the oppressor. The worker should not beg for this emancipation from the oppressor. It is only the worker who can remove himself from this situation because he is the one that feels the hunger and suffering,” Kalaluka said.
He said the revolutionary character in Zambia and Africa’ was slowly rumbling at the grassroots despite living under a very extreme counter revolutionary moment from the capitalistic forces.
“On the ground the revolutionary under currents are bubbling at the grassroots. The revolutionary character of Africa is bubbling,” Kalaluka said.
