Award casual workers too, labour officer tells employers

Wed, 12 Apr 2017 06:27:59 +0000

By ROGERS KALERO

CASUAL workers deserve to be recognized and appreciated for the contributions they are making in various organizations by being awarded during Labour Day celebrations, Kitwe district principal labour officer Shirley Malyenge has said.

Ms Malyenge said organizations or companies participating in this year’s Labour Day celebrations should consider awarding casual workers because some of them were putting in much effort than permanent workers.

Speaking at Katilungu House in Kitwe at the weekend during a stakeholders meeting ahead of this year’s Labour Day celebrations, Ms Malyenge also said the preparations committee in the district had raised K19,000 out of the budgeted K84,200.

“A number of organizations are performing well with the contributions of casual workers, but when it comes to awarding workers on Labour Day, casual workers are not recognized or appreciated.

“So, as we prepare for this year’s Labour Day, organizations or companies participating in this year’s event should consider recognising and appreciating casual workers through awards,” Ms Malyenge said.

Ms Malyenge also said companies should not only reward the same workers from the same departments.

“If you continue rewarding the same workers from the same departments, those who are not being rewarded will feel demotivated and inferior to those who are rewarded every year during Labour Day,’’ she said.

Ms Malyenge said motivating workers was the only way they could help others emulate them and in doing so would see operations attaining the sustainable goals. She said  this year’s theme ‘‘Security, Descent Work for Sustainable Social Economic Development’’ will help workers to work extremely hard in sustaining social economic goals and contributing to the welfare of the country.

She has appealed to organizations pledging to render support in the purchasing of trophies to quickly submit their funds and a list of recipients in the next two weeks.

She has also challenged organizations participating at this year’s event to work extremely hard and beat Nkana Water and Sewerage Company (NWSC) who have been getting the best award for display for three years now.