Luanshya copper mines workers win 12 percent salary hike

[bingogo]

CNMC- Luanshya copper mines(CLM) management and the two mine workers unions have signed the 2011 collective agreement of 12 percent salary increment for all unionized employees.

Speaking during the signing ceremony at general offices board room , Head of the bargaining team Frederick Chola commended the Mine workers union of Zambia (MUZ) and National Union of miners and Allied workers (NUMAW) teams for exhibiting maturity and professionalism in their negotiations

Mr. Chola who is also head of human resources said 18 major issues were tackled during the negotiations adding that all the parties were satisfied with the terms.

Acting Chief executive officer Wang Jinguun assured the unions that the mine will not be closed for as long as it was in their hands.

Mr. Jinguun said his management has developed a five year plan of rehabilitating the mine and opening of the muliashi open pit.

And speaking on behalf of the two unions , MUZ general secretary Oswell Munyenyembe lamented that the negotiations were marred by political influence which made the negotiations difficult.
He said some union officials were leaking information to politicians about the negotiations adding that the practice was detrimental to the process.

Mr. Munyenyembe said politicians should be sensitized to differentiate between union matters and politics adding that conditions of service negotiations were a tough undertaking.

He thanked CLM management for investing heavily in the rehabilitation works of the mine as this would make the mine become efficient and the safety of the workers will be granted.

He urged management to continue consulting with union officials on monthly basis for the two parties to work in harmony.

Luanshya member of Parliament Simon Kachimba has urged the business community in the district to supplement government’s efforts in the provision of social amenities.

Mr. Kachimba, who also deputy minister for labour , says government has created an enabling environment for business houses adding that it was only fair for the latter to respond through corporate social responsibility.

He said government has done so much in infrastructure development with its meager resources noting that the business community should supplement in other areas in uplifting communities.
Mr. Kachimba said this today at the business luncheon held at Luanshya golf club at which all the business houses of Luanshya were in attendance.

He thanked government for choosing the China Non-Metals Company(CNMC) who have subsequently revived the operations of the Luanshya mine and created employment opportunities.

He also said that K300 million from the constituency development fund (CDF) will be used to work on all the damaged roads in the constituency.

[bobded]

Luanshya copper mine workers receive 12pct wage rise
Thursday, 03 Feb 2011

More than 2,400 workers at Chinese run Non Ferrous Metals Africa Corporation Luanshya mine received 12% wage rise as part of management and unions’ initiative to boost copper production at one of Zambia’s oldest mines.

The new wage increase and improved conditions of service is effective from January 1 this year in which 2,400 workers of the miner have benefited from the new mine owners, following protracted negotiations with two unions, Mine workers Union of Zambia and National Miners Union and Allied Workers which were concluded at the weekend.

Company spokesperson Sydney Chileya said the 12% increase was a milestone in boosting copper production at the 76 year old mine and that the miners are expected to benefit more as the company improves its production of copper.

Chileya said that “We agreed that the miners get 12% for now effective January 1 but we believe that they will benefit much more in future because the mine is committed to improving their welfare.”

CLM workers would soon catch up with salaries like other mining companies because the mine was not likely to have any operational problems. The lowest paid miner at CLM got USD 300 (ZMK 1.6 million) compared to other mines that offered employees about (USD 500) ZMK 2.4 million on average. The closures the mine between 2000 and 2003 contributed to the salaries not being improved because there were no negotiations.

Between 2004 and 2008 when Enya Holdings owned the mine, there was a wage freeze that went up until there was a global economic meltdown in 2009 when the mine was placed under care and maintenance, hence the miners got less salaries compared to other mining companies.

National Union of Miners and Allied Workers chairman Mundia Sikufele said it was good that the miners have got a wage rise and improved conditions of services although it was not what the unions had bargained for.

Sikufele said with the improved wages, miners are expected to put in more efforts to ensure the growth of the mine which has invested in excess of USD 500 million in improving production at the mine which was abandoned by the previous owners, Enya Holdings that left after the fall of the metal prices during the global financial crisis of 2008.

(Filed by Mr Kapembwa Sinkamba SteelGuru Correspondent Zambia)