More than 1,000 contractors erecting Mulyashi copper open cast mine in Luanshya, a unit of China’s nonferrous metals corporation in Zambia, downed tools on September 5th 2011 demanding better wagers and other conditions of service.

There was no immediate comment from Luanshya copper mine spokesperson Mr Sydney Chileya on the matter immediately as his mobile and emails remained unanswered to at the close of September 6th 2011. National union of Miners general Secretary Mr Goodwell Kaluba too could not answer his mobile phone when contacted on Tuesday.

However, reports from informed National Union of Miners and Allied Workers officials stated that about 1,200 employees of a contractor company hired to build the USD 400 million Muliashi copper mine by China Nonferrous Metals Mining Corporation downed tools on Monday demanding among other benefits payment of lunch allowances and decent transport.

Officials said that the miners contracted to build Mulyashi open pit mine decided to resort to work stoppage because despite their input where they work more than 13 hours per shift, they were only receiving a paltry ZMK 400,000 per month without any risk allowances. They have asked mine owners not to treat them like casual workers and want to be paid what is due to them before resuming work.”

There has been a spate of incidences involving Chinese mine owners giving a raw deal to Zambian employees, flouting the labor laws that demand equal pay for equal work.

On October 15th 2010, 13 Zambian miners were shot at by their employers at Collum coal mine in Sinazongwe in southern Zambia after demanding for their wages and improved conditions of service. At Chambishi mine, another Chinese-owned mine, more than 20 Zambian workers were dismissed for refusing to accept 12% wage increase. Despite the workers having contested the matter in a court of law, the employees were dismissed and many were paid an average USD 150 despite the service rendered to the mine.

(Filed by Mr Kapembwa Sinkamba SteelGuru Correspondent Zambia)