Wed, 26 Apr 2017 12:38:44 +0000
By CHINTU MALAMBO
GOVERNMENT should consider genuine dialogue on the current political situation in the country which is potentially divisive, says Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) president Chishimba Nkole.
Mr Nkole said the political tension in the country was affecting the country’s economy because workers were preoccupied with political issues at the expense of national development.
Mr Nkole charged that workers were affected by the political environment to the extent that the current state of play of national politics was divisive and unproductive.
He said that citizens were preoccupied with political issues at the expense of national development which was not good for the nation.
“Workers of this country are equally affected by what is happening in the political environment and as a result, they are continuously preoccupied with political issues at the expense of national development.
‘‘We urge Government to consider genuine dialogue on the current political differences by reviving and strengthening inter-party dialogue to harmonies the current political differences that are potentially divisive,” he said.
Mr Nkole was speaking during the tripartite consultative council held in Lusaka, saying the mother union was also concerned with the continued fragmentation of the labour movement.
He said the fragmentation of trade unions was not only undermining trade unions’ capacity to bargain collectively but was also costly to employers.
Mr Nkole observed that most unions that had splintered from their parent unions had failed to grow or have only grown to a certain extent but not reaching the size and capacity of the parent union.
He charged that most of the breakaway trade unions were formed by some disgruntled trade union leaders whose motives and political intention were at variance with the trade union policy of maintaining political neutrality while working with the Government of the day.
Mr Nkole warned that the continued fragmentation of the trade union movement was worrying because some of the newly formed unions might choose not to affiliate with any of the existing federations and would be difficult on the part of the Ministry of Labour to manage them.
“The extent to which fragmentation may go is worrying because some of the newly formed unions may choose not to affiliate with any of the existing federations and it will be difficult on the part of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security to manage such unions,” he said.
