By Isaac Zulu
Transport and Logistics Minister Frank Tayali has said that the perennial unpaid salaries that were being experienced during the Patriot Front government is an indication that there was rampant infringement of workers’ rights under the previous regime.
Officiating at the Crews and Allied Workers Union of Zambia (CRAWUZ) third Quadrennial General Council Conference held in Kapiri Mposhi district, Tayali said that, at the time the UPND got into government, the railway company had numerous challenges, but the current regime has shown commitment to resolving such issues.
The Ndola Central Member of Parliament said that, during the PF government, TAZARA workers were going for months without salaries.
“We came in government at a time when TAZARA was struggling to pay salaries for its workers for eight months. But despite that we found the collapse of the Chambeshi, but the UPND government had to spend $1.9 billion on the rehabilitation of the TAZARA Chambeshi bridge, the same administration continued to offset unpaid salaries for TAZARA workers and a staggering K219 million has so far been spent on this particular exercise,” Tayali said. “Other than that, the UPND administration recently released K72 million to dismantle the retirees’s benefits at TAZARA. Clearly, the perennial unpaid salaries at TAZARA is an indication that, at the time we were getting into government, we were coming from an era where workers’ rights were being trampled upon.”
Tayali also disclosed that the UPND administration is committed to paying retirement packages to former Zambia Airways workers, saying President Hakainde Hichilema has since issued a directive to the Ministry of Transport and Logistics regarding this matter.
And Tayali stressed that TAZARA will be soon be concessioned, saying that steady progress has been made on this particular matter.
He explained that TAZARA needs to be revitalised for it to operate as a commercial and viable railway company; hence the discourse on concession.
“I do not want to preempt anything. But I want to state that this matter is very active on my table. And I can tell you that we have made steady progress on this particular issue. Don’t lose hope. The future of TAZARA is bright,” he said.
Tayali further applauded the two unions at TAZARA for demonstrating mature and progressive dialogue with government, devoid of causing confusion among workers: “And those that will be elected should have the ability to meaningfully engage with the Ministry of Transport and Logistics and Government; at large.”
He also called for meritorious elections, devoid of corruption.
Speaking earlier, assistant Labour Commissioner for Central Province Charles Muwowo said that government is aware that some employers in the region are exploiting workers’ rights to an extent that they are denying them the right to join a trade union of their choice, saying this in contravention of Article 21 of the Republican Constitution.
“As government, we are aware that some employers in Central Province are stopping their workers from joining a trade union of their choice. This is an infringement on workers’ rights, and will not be entertained. Employers will not be allowed to trample on workers rights,” said Muwowo.
