CBU UNIONIZED WORKERS DOWN TOOLS
Unionized workers at the Copperbelt University-CBU- have gone on an indefinite peaceful sitting protest to demand for K173 million owed to them in unpaid gratuities and conclusion to the stalled 2024 collective bargaining process.
The workers have issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Emoluments Commission to respond to their demands for negotiation salaries and conditions of service to proceed, failure to which the sitting protest will continue and is likely to affect exams scheduled to begin on August 26, 2024.
Addressing members of staff and the media in Kitwe today, CBU Senior Staff and Allied Workers Union President Dr. Maurice Mundia says the K173 million has been pending since 2022 with ongoing talks not yielding results despite President Hakainde Hichilema assuring the workers that he would address the matter.
Dr. Mundia further notes that workers at CBU are aware of the K206 million recently paid to the University of Zambia while their plight remains unattended despite further promises by cabinet office that K100 million would be paid by May of 2023.
And Copperbelt University Academics Union President Dr Derrick Ntalasha explained that the stalled negotiations are as a result of the university management previously submitting wrong parameters for consideration that resulted in a meagre K550 salary increment across the board which was out rightly rejected by workers.
Dr. Ntalasha says the council has since written to the emoluments commission with new parameters for consideration toward salary increments.
PN