PRESS STATEMENT
15th March 2020
STOP THREATENING STRIKING WORKERS; JUST PAY THEM.
They say, if shouting is your way of talking then use sign language, if threats are the way of PF solving labour disputes, they better try dialog. Agreed, strikes are counterproductive and that’s why we as UPND are for dialog. Yes, there has never been a legal strike in Zambia because of the cumbersome procedure to have one. However, strikes come about when workers feel so grieved and have no solution to their grievances. The only way left to reach out to authorities is to withdraw labour.
Why is PF failing to understand basic principles of good Industrial Relations? Whenever there is a strike as management you need to identify the reason(s) causing that and who is inciting others. Even you as PF you need answers to these questions before taking any disciplinary action against your workers. However in the case of the recent strikes by public workers the answers to these questions are very clear. Workers are striking because you PF have failed to pay them for months now. It’s also very clear that you PF are the ones inciting workers to go on strike.
How come now that you the same PF regime is threatening to fire these workers when all you need is to find money and pay them? Forcing workers with such grievances to report for work is worse than such workers staying away from work. These workers are very demotivated and as such cannot be productive. You’ll only be sending unproductive bodies for work. Remember, you can force a horse to the river but you cannot force it to drink water. A demotivated worker is very dangerous as he may even engage in acts of sabotage.
Surely, Ba PF how do you expect these workers to report for work when they cannot even afford transport to and from work? Are these sub human beings who can survive without food both at home and work? Can you be a motivated Minister who walks on foot to and from home to office and later Parliament? Can you continue reporting for work on an empty stomach, and leaving your entire family starving?
Is it not that you are always full and driven in expensive GX that’s why you have the energy to threaten others with dismissals if they don’t behave like slaves? These workers are human beings like you, just find money and pay them. Don’t push them too far, its only next year that you’ll be begging for votes from them. Continue treating workers like slaves, next year they will surely teach you a lesson. No worker will go without pay under HH/ UPND Government.
Percy Chanda
UPND – Chairman for Mines and Freedom Fighter