By ALICE NACHILEMBE
Chililabombwe District Commissioner Paul Mulenga has ordered labour officers in the district to intensify inspections and look in the plight of workers especially those in the private sector.
Mr Mulenga said labour officers should go round and see the kind of environment that workers are exposed to, is it conducive and are the regulations of the government followed.
Speaking during this year’s Labour Day celebrations, the DC implored Labour officers to also find out how much the workers are getting as salaries.
“I know of a company that pay workers as low as K600 less than what the government wage is and the labour officers are just there without doing anything,” he said.
The DC said this year’s theme ‘Enhancing productivity and alleviating poverty through decent work’ is appropriate because it emphasizes on Government’s commitment to provide decent employment and eliminating extreme poverty.
He said the theme was consistent with the government vision of transforming the country into a middle income without leaving anyone behind.
Zambia Congress of Trade Union representative Suzan Nsama said the union is demanding for decent wages from employers.
Ms Nsama said employers should take wage negotiations seriously and give workers decent wage increase.
She said workers must stand ready to defend their rights and fight for decent wage increase.
“We cannot continue as workers to remain enslaved in wage labour while our economy remains highly monopolized and owned by exploitative and abusive employers. This day workers will not afford the luxury of just listening to speeches. We have had enough of them that we want to see actions that would defend our jobs.
“Workers are calling for an equitable Tax policy, they want decent housing and adequate social protection and industry that will protect they jobs and create more employment,” she said.
