ZCTU urges workers to campaign for descent work

ZCTU President Nkole Chishimba

The Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has urged workers in the country to vigorously campaign for decent work.

Speaking during the commemoration of the World Day for Decent work, ZCTU president Nkole Chishimba says workers must also stand up to corporate bullies and demand respect for their right to a union, to collective bargaining, social protection, secure and safe jobs.

He has also encouraged women workers to stand up for equality at work,investment in the care economy, an end to the gender pay gap and for their rightful place in union leadership.

Mr Chishimba has further called upon government to stand up to the threats and intimidation of the elite which today control the levers of power and to stand with working people.

He says the ZCTU is saddened by the fact despite government’s awareness of the most serious exploitative tendencies by multinationals, they have been left to go scot free.

He states that the social economic crisis facing Zambians require an urgent and rapid economic transformation, which means putting the workers in particular and people in general first.

Speaking at the same event International Labour Organisation (ILO) Country office Director for Zambia,Malawi and Mozambique Alexio Musindo says Zambia’s achievement of decent work lies in the country’s commitment to advancing social justice through implementation of the decent work country programme 2017-2021.

He notes that the theme for this year’s commemoration “End Corporate Greed: The World Needs a Pay Rise” speaks closely to the decent work agenda.

Mr musindo was speaking in a speech read on his behalf by ilo representative chana jere.