2016 ITUC Global Rights Index - Zambia
| Publisher | International Trade Union Confederation |
| Publication Date | 9 June 2016 |
| Cite as | International Trade Union Confederation, 2016 ITUC Global Rights Index - Zambia, 9 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5799aa4e7.html [accessed 16 October 2022] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Judiciary unionist fired for claiming rights to the President of Zambia: On 13 January 2016, the Judicial Service Commission fired Chairman of Judiciary and Allied Workers Union of Zambia Copperbelt, Mr Paul Chilosha. Chilosha had declared that judiciary workers intended to make their voice heard in 2016 and that the President Edgar Lungu would not have it easy if he refused to increase salaries by a reasonable amount. Following these statements Chilosha received a letter of termination of his employment by the Judiciary Service Commission on behalf of the President Lungu.
Six Workers of the Zambia post service arrested while protesting: Police picked up six workers at Zambia post service, ZAMPOST, during a demonstration held at their post office in Lusaka. Workers, protesting for unilateral salary deductions and cuts at retrenchment packages, were taken in police vans by officers from Lusaka Central Police who called the protest illegal. "Illegal" was the definition of the protest given also by ZAMPOST's Area Manager for Lusaka, Henry Zimba, who stated the legitimacy of police action to pick up workers, since "the Post Office is a public place and no one is entitled to protest anyhow".
Hotel New Fairmount in Livingstone does not allow trade unionism: The General Secretary of Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), Cosmas Mukuka, spoke at the Quadrennial Conference of the Zambia Union of Nurses Organisation (ZUNO), held at the New Fairmount Hotel. In his speech he called attention to the fact that no future trade union meeting should be held in such a hotel because its management does not permit workers to belong to a labour movement of their choice and fired all but one member of staff interested in unionism. Mukuka appealed to ZUNO leadership to engage the hotel management in order to sensitise them towards the issue of free trade unionism at the workplace.
