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Chibuluma Mine workers down tools over pay rise Written by M
Written by Mutuna Chanda in Kitwe
CHIBULUMA Mine workers have downed tools after management refused to increase their salaries beyond five per cent.
Workers at the mine and Mineworkers Union of Zambia (MUZ) general secretary Oswell Munyenyembe confirmed the strike in separate interviews yesterday.
The workers who remained on surface yesterday said they wanted salary increments of between 15 and 30 per cent but that management insisted on five per cent.
They said a Chibuluma Mine human resources official yesterday asked the workers to get back to their sections but that they refused.
And Munyenyembe expressed disappointment at Chibuluma Mine management’s 'take-it or leave-it' attitude.
He said negotiations were about giving and taking and it was disappointing for management to have acted in such a manner.
"I received a report yesterday (Monday) that management was adamant and couldn't move positions from five per cent and people (workers) were not happy," Munyenyembe said. ìThe excuse of the crunch does not hold. The price of copper was US $2,900 as at September last year, now the price is over US $6,000."
He said mining companies needed to reward employees now that the price of copper had improved on the world market.
"Last year we didnÃt have enough adjustments; in fact some companies didnÃt even adjust the salaries," said Munyenyembe. "So they shouldn't blame employees when they react like that."
Management officials at Chibuluma Mine could not comment on the matter by press time as they were out of reach.