By ROGERS KALERO
GOVERNMENT must ensure that mine workers unions are part of the bargaining team whenever it is negotiating with prospective investors in the mining sector so that both the investor and the unions are fully aware of what was expected when operations commence National Union of Min-ers and Allied Workers (NUMAW) President Saul Simujika has said.
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Mr Simujika said mine workers unions as representatives of the workers should be part of the bar-gaining team whenever government was negotiating with an investor to know what package the investor was coming with in terms of remunerations and conditions of service.
Mr Simujika was reacting to the statement by Mines and Mineral Development Minister Paul Ka-buswe that government was crafting laws and policies that will ensure that Zambians benefit from job creation and businesses opportunities.
Mr Kabuswe said last week at Garden Court Hotel in Kitwe during a meeting with mine suppliers and contractors that the mining sector was not performing well in the past, but that President Hakainde Hichilema will provide leadership that will revive the sector.
Mr Simujika said some of the laws and policies should include that mine workers Unions should be part of the bargaining team whenever the government was negotiating with new investors so that they know what package the investor has for the miners.
“As mine workers unions, we will always support policies and laws that will see the mining sector benefitting Zambians, especially in terms of creation of employment. Creation of jobs means quali-ty jobs which should be secured for Zambians. We are talking about miners being properly remu-nerated through better conditions of service and other incentives.
“This is why we are saying that mine workers unions should be part of the bargaining team so that they tell the investors what the workers are expected of them and how ready they are to put in their best if the investor has respect for them and can appreciate their efforts through good condition s of service. We don’t want investors that will bring misery on the faces of our miners. No,” Mr Simu-jika saif.
Mr Simujika has urged companies to ensure that that they take on board workers’ interests when introducing new policies to avoid conflicts and ensure industrial harmony and increased produc-tion.
Mr Simujika said new systems being introduced by mining company must always be transparent to avoid suspicious but instead build confidence in the management thereby building a good industrial relationship and set the stage for increased production.
“Workers are key to increased production and were also the most valuable asset of any company and so deserved respect, motivation through proper remunerations and better conditions of service. Am happy that the union has continued to enjoy good working relationship with a number of min-ing companies, but as unions, we will continue to pursue for the best of our members” he said.
He said workers were not only great assets of any company, but they are also important stakehold-ers who deserve to be consulted and taken on board whenever the company is introducing new policies.
“So whenever the company is introducing new policies, it should take on board the workers’ and their interests to avoid conflicts. New systems must be open to the workers so that they know what is happening” he said
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