Message Lun 12 Déc 2011 10:41

260 Moolmans workers lose jobs

MORE than 260 workers of Moolmans in Chingola have been left jobless after Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) terminated the company’s contract.

And Mines Minister, Wylbur Simuusa, has summoned KCM to his office to explain why the company terminated Moolmans’ Company contract.

Both Moolmans contracts manager, George Wilson, and Mine Contractors and Allied Workers Union of Zambia general secretary, Daniel Chikwa, confirmed the termination of the contract by KCM.

Mr Wilson said Moolmans terminated the contracts of all the employees in Chingola after KCM who had hired them for a job at Fitwoala Open Pit Mine terminated their contract.

Mr Chikwa said Moolmans had terminated contracts of all its employees under KCM projects because KCM and Moolmans had differed over a payment.

He said on November 1, 2011, Moolmans management wrote KCM over the non-payment for three consecutive months.

And on November 12, Moolmans is said to have written another letter to KCM giving it 10 days’ ultimatum in which to make payments.

Mr Chikwa alleged that in reaction, KCM on November 28, 2011, replied to Moolmans that it had decided to terminate the contract.

He said at that point, Moolmans immediately told its employees to stop work.

Mr Chikwa said the union was disappointed that KCM did not honour its payments promptly alleging that Moolmans was not the only company to have complained of delayed payments.

He said delayed payments affected operations of companies which in turn affected the way they treated their workers.

Mr Chikwa said more people would lose jobs in Chingola and Chililabombwe because the payment period was not favouring the contractors.

He accused both Moolmans and KCM of acting emotionally over the Fitwaola project and lacked the ability to settle the differences amicably.

Mr Chikwa appealed to the Government to intervene in the matter because 267 employees losing jobs meant 267 families losing their means of livelihood.

And Mr Simuusa said KCM had told him that Moolmans had prompted them to take such an action of the termination of the contract.

He said the Government was the major stakeholder and would want to be furnished with full information and find the best way to resolve the matter.

Mr Simuusa said it was disappointing that when the Government was creating jobs, some companies were frustrating its efforts.

He said before KCM and Moolmans could meet him, he had encouraged them to go back to the negotiating table and iron out the differences that could have led to such an action.