By Raphael Banda
May 1st 2023-Zambia.
President Hakainde Hichilema today led the the 2023 Labour Day commemorations in Lusaka and called for hard work and collaborations among the workers, employers federation of Zambia and the government to foster economic development growth.
Earlier, Chama North Member of Parliament Yotamu Mtayachalo issued the statement below.
"Fellow country men and women as a former trade union leader may I take this rare opportunity to" congratulate our working class in the country and the world at large for commemorating labour day which is an important event on the worker's international calendar.
This important day is celebrated world wide by workers to appreciate the important role they play in the economic development of any country and such the working class globally takes this opportunity to reflect on their achievements and also challenges in various work environments in the year under review.
However I'm alive to the fact that workers not only in Zambia but globally faces a number of challenges such as poor working conditions and violation of workers rights just to mention but a few in the course of discharging their noble duties.
Therefore there is need for workers to unite in line with united we stand divided we fall principle if workers have to overcome these enomous challenges which they encounter in the course of discharging their duties.
Fellow country men and women I will be failing in my duties if I did not recognize the knowledge and experience I acquired during my illustrious career in the trade union movement which spanned for more than 17 years hence I'm standing tall today because I'm stepping on the shoulders of the workers especially those at ZESCO, Ndola Lime and Morganite (Z) for the support which they rendered to me during my tour of duty in the labour movement.
It is in light of the foregoing that I will continue to be a torch bearer of the workers or the voice of the voiceless workers both in and outside parliament by continuing advocating for better working conditions of workers and respect for workers rights among many others.
Further, It is important to note that the labour movement in Zambia has lost its vibrancy as solidarity forever and an injury to one is an injury to all principle no longer exists due to a number of reasons such as previous amendments to the labour laws which are not favourable to the interest of the workers such as multiplicity of trade unions in one industry and denying the workers the right to a strike action as the current law is too rigid or cumbersome to enable the workers engage in a legal strike action after a failed bargaining process notwithstanding that a strike action is the biggest weapon to the disposal of trade unions in democratic dispensations globally.
Furthermore the dismissal and retirement in national interest of workers of strong union leaders from employment without legitimate grounds has continued unabated and as such this has further undermined the voice of the workers as union leaders are now fearing to advance the interest of their members fearlessly because of fear of losing employment or in short union leaders have become endangered species in work places.
Lastly but not the least I want to take this opportunity to appeal to the labour movement in this country to go back to it's drawing board and come up with strategies on how to engage the government in order to repeal some current labour laws which do not favour the interest of workers such as the law which allows for multiplicity of trade unions to exist in one industry and the right to industrial action just to mention but a few otherwise the trade union movement in Zambia shall continue to be a toothless bull dog.
Issued by;
Hon Yotam Mtayachalo
Member of parliament for chama north and former General Secretary of the National Energy Sector and Allied Worker's Union ( NESAWU)
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