More than 2,400 workers at Chinese run Non Ferrous Metals Africa Corporation Luanshya mine received 12% wage rise as part of management and unions’ initiative to boost copper production at one of Zambia’s oldest mines.
The new wage increase and improved conditions of service is effective from January 1 this year in which 2,400 workers of the miner have benefited from the new mine owners, following protracted negotiations with two unions, Mine workers Union of Zambia and National Miners Union and Allied Workers which were concluded at the weekend.
Company spokesperson Sydney Chileya said the 12% increase was a milestone in boosting copper production at the 76 year old mine and that the miners are expected to benefit more as the company improves its production of copper.
Chileya said that “We agreed that the miners get 12% for now effective January 1 but we believe that they will benefit much more in future because the mine is committed to improving their welfare.”
CLM workers would soon catch up with salaries like other mining companies because the mine was not likely to have any operational problems. The lowest paid miner at CLM got USD 300 (ZMK 1.6 million) compared to other mines that offered employees about (USD 500) ZMK 2.4 million on average. The closures the mine between 2000 and 2003 contributed to the salaries not being improved because there were no negotiations.
Between 2004 and 2008 when Enya Holdings owned the mine, there was a wage freeze that went up until there was a global economic meltdown in 2009 when the mine was placed under care and maintenance, hence the miners got less salaries compared to other mining companies.
National Union of Miners and Allied Workers chairman Mundia Sikufele said it was good that the miners have got a wage rise and improved conditions of services although it was not what the unions had bargained for.
Sikufele said with the improved wages, miners are expected to put in more efforts to ensure the growth of the mine which has invested in excess of USD 500 million in improving production at the mine which was abandoned by the previous owners, Enya Holdings that left after the fall of the metal prices during the global financial crisis of 2008.
(Filed by Mr Kapembwa Sinkamba SteelGuru Correspondent Zambia)
