By ANDREW MUKOMA
ZAMBIA Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has observed that workers have continued to face a number of challenges relating to conditions of employment and increased cost of living.
ZCTU president Nkole Chishimba said the current socioeconomic challenges included high inflation and high interest rates among others.
Mr Chishimba said that the challenges had pushed the workers into the poverty trap and heavy indebtedness because their incomes had remained static.
He was speaking during the official opening of ZCTU/Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) seminar on Trade Union Transformation in Zambia held at Fairmount Hotel in Livingstone yesterday.
“In realising the challenges workers are facing, we developed a workers’ manifesto which was launched in May this year. The manifesto was a culmination of work to foster national development, trade union unity, and solidarity,” he said.
Mr Chishimba said the development of the workers’ manifesto came at an opportune time when the country was heading for general elections.
He said the manifesto was the building block on which the workers’ aspirations were presented to various political players aspiring for public office.
“The manifesto puts the Zambian worker on the spotlight by recognising that so many people’s working lives are dominated by low pay, insecurity and powerlessness,” he said.
Mr Chishimba said Zambian workers were forced to top up their monthly wages with debt just to cover their living costs.
He described as unfortunate the way the PF perceived the ZCTU when the labour movement objected to Bill 10.
And Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) representative Kathy Short assured ZCTU of the foundation’s support.
Ms Short said that labour movement is a very important stakeholder in any country’s democracy.
“We will not leave you in times of difficulties, count on us because labour movements are very important partners in democracy,” she said.
Ms Short encouraged the labour movement to continue adding its voice on various issues in the country.
