By Isaac Zulu
Workers Union of TAZARA (WUTAZ) general secretary Jacob Lombe says the delayed payment of salaries to TAZARA employees is creating anxiety among workers at the railway company as they have not been given the timeframe within which their four months arrears will be paid.
Speaking with Daily Revelation, Lombe said the Ministry of Transport and Logistics only told them that they would “soon” be paid their salaries.
“We had a meeting over the issue of salary arrears for workers at TAZARA. And what the permanent secretary told us is that they will soon attend to the issue of salary arrears, without giving us a timeframe. And this is a problem that the workforce cannot understand because they have been going without salaries. And this is creating anxiety among TAZARA workers… the situation is volatile,” said Lombe.
He said the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Transport and Logistics assured the union leaders at TAZARA that the Ministry of Finance is working tirelessly to ensure that TAZARA employees are paid their outstanding salaries.
“What the permanent secretary did indicate is that the Ministry of Finance is working on the issue of TAZARA workers’ salary arrears, and that the person who is responsible for releasing money is not at the Ministry of Transport and Logistics,” said Lombe.
And Crews and Allied Workers Union of Zambia (CRAWUZ) president Bevis Silumbe said there was some positivity that the government will pay TAZARA workers their four months salary arrears.
Silumbe explained that union leaders at TAZARA recently had a meeting with officials at the Ministry of Transport and Logistics, which he said was fruitful, considering the fact that the government committed itself to settling the outstanding four months salaries.
“Yes, we had a meeting with them (government officials) and it was a fruitful meeting. There are some positivity that they will pay TAZARA workers. Maybe next week… I am saying maybe. You know these government operations. Something might just come up and that might cause some delay in releasing the money,” said Silumbe. “But I cannot give assurances because I am not the one releasing the money.”
Asked what cause of action TAZARA workers are likely to take in an event that government does not pay them, Silumbe said that the union leaders at the railway company are contemplating to seek the intervention of the Head of State.
“We will engage the Head of State. And will do that through our mother body, which is Zambia Congress of Trade Unions,” said Silumbe.
