KCM, Mopani advised to prepare benefits payments for Dec, Jan
By ROGERS KALERO
KONKOLA Copper Mines (KCM) and Mopani Copper Miners (MCM) must start preparing accrued benefits which are due in December 2021 and January 2022 respectively, to avoid unnecessary work stoppages, ‘ the National Union of Miners and Allied Workers (NUMAW) has warned.
NUMAW National Treasurer Saul Simujika said work stoppages adversely affect production and so it was important that they were avoided by putting things in place to ensure that operations continue running smoothly while production continue to increase.
Mr Simujika was speaking yesterday at Katilungu House in Kitwe when the Mine workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) and NUMAW held a press briefing to announce that the miners at Mopani Copper Mines (MCM) had started receiving their accrued benefits under Glencore Plc.
Mr Simujika said accrued benefits for miners at KCM will be due in December 22, 2021 while the ones for those at MCM will be due in January 22, 2022.
“So the message to these giant mining companies is to start preparing accrued benefits to avoid unnecessary work stoppages. We should be putting things in place to ensure that operations continue running smoothly while production continue to increase.
“As unions, we are happy that miners at MCM have started receiving accrued benefits which they worked for under Glencore. We hope next time, miners will not need to protest in order to be paid their benefits,” Mr Simujika said.
And speaking at the same briefing, MUZ President Joseph Chewe said he was happy that government had approved the US$15million for the payment of accrued benefits for miners at MCM.
Mr Chewe said his union was happy that government had indicated that the two giant mining companies needed recapitalisation and was hopeful that reputable investors o would be found to fully exploit the potential of the two mining companies.
He said, for KCM, he was hoping that government would find a reputable investor or equity partner to effectively run the Konkola Deep Mining Project (KDMP ) .
“With assurances from government that it will find an investor or equity partner for KCM, we are sure that the mining sector has a great future. We are hoping that the new investor or equity partner can be found before or as we get into next year.
“However, we are sure that the investor is not the one we previously had . We need a credible investor to take KCM to greater heights and motivate the miners to work hard and increase production ,” Mr Chewe said.
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