Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
FDD President Edith Nawakwi
Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) President Edith Nawakwi has called on government to devise a clear system of bargaining and negotiating wages in order to ensure that salaries of workers are always commensurate to inflationary trends and the actual economic dynamics obtaining on the ground.
And the FDD Leader says this year’s Labour Day celebration has come at a time when most of the workers are stressing under the burden of a crunching economic meltdown.
In her message to workers as they commemorate Labour Day, Ms Nawakwi says many workers starting from the police, teachers, miners, janitors to doctors are working in very difficult conditions ranging from shortage of implements, shortage of manpower to shortage of transport and accommodation.
She says of late the nation has seen a sad phenomenon of threats and victimization of civil servants by those holding political office.
She adds that the Republican President himself has been in the forefront issuing threats and intimidating public service workers on mere suspicions that such individuals belong to opposition political parties.
Ms Nawakwi alleges that a lot of people have lost jobs, others have been transferred to the remotest areas of the country on suspicion that they sympathize with the opposition.
The FDD Leader notes that the workers plight has been worsened by the loss of thousands of jobs due to the energy crisis and Zambia’s shrinking economy.