By NATION REPORTER
KONKOLA Copper Mines Plc (KCM) Provisional Liquidator Celine Nair has described as untrue insinuations by the three mine unions representing workers at KCM and its subsidiaries that the mine is failing to meet production and planning requirements.
Ms Nair said media reports suggesting that the Mine Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ), the National Union of Mining and Allied Workers (NUMAW) and the United Mine Workers of Zambia (UMUZ) issued a joint statement claiming that employees of KCM subsidiaries, the Konkola Mineral Resources Limited (KMRL) and KCM SmelterCo Limited, were reporting for work without being assigned tasks were not true.
The Mine unions held a joint press briefing at which they asked Vedanta to come back and were quoted as having said KCM was failing to meet production and planning requirements.
Ms Nair however said KCM was taken aback by the assertions because the Company was constantly providing the unions with updates each time they made requests for information.
She said last week the unions contacted KCM for a site visit a request which KCM management accepted however, the unions cancelled their visit due to other commitments.
“We are truly surprised with the stance the unions have taken because KCM has been transparent and maintains an open-door policy with the unions who are key stakeholders in matters affecting the Company. To insinuate that employees report for work just to sit within their work stations is not only inaccurate but a malicious statement that we cannot comprehend. While KCM is facing some difficulties and indeed requires bridge financing, the picture portrayed by the unions is not correct,” Ms Nair said.
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