By ANDREW MUKOMA
LABOUR and Social Security Minister Joyce Simukoko has challenged labour movement leaders in the country to develop negotiation skills for them to effectively negotiate for better incentives for their members.
Ms Simukoko says that in many cases, Union leaders fail to negotiate better with employers due to lack of skills.
She said that as a result of lack of negotiations skills, Union leaders tend to blame Government which she said is not supposed to be the case.
Ms Simukoko said that labour leaders must also learn to research before they speak so that they understand the role of a Union and how to negotiate.
She was speaking during the official opening of the 10th Quadrennial Conference for the Civil Servants and Allied Workers Union of Zambia (CSAWUZ) and elective Annual General Conference held at Fairmount Hotel in Livingstone on Wednesday.
The Minister said that when dealing with Union issues, leaders should not be partisan because trade Union is about improving the lives of workers.
Ms Simukoko said, when leaders become partisan, they are required to resign from the civil service as guided.
Speaking at the same event, Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) reminded CSAWUZ members that as the country heads for elections in 2021, it requires civil servants to promote peace and unity.
ZCTU Secretary General Cosmas Mukuka said that civil servants who want to contest in next year’s elections should follow the circular which requires them to resign.
Mr Mukuka said that it will be difficult to combine union politics and national politics.
And CSAWUZ president Davy Chiyobe called for pension reforms at NAPSA so that retirees can start receiving the lamp sum retirement packages.
Mr Chiyobe said that this will help improve the welfare of many retirees who are in the civil service.
