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MOPANI Copper Mines (MCM) have not informed Government on the decision to lay off more than 4,000 miners on the Copperbelt, Labour and Social Security Minister Fackson Shamenda has said.
Mr Shamenda told Parliament yesterday that if the mining company has gone ahead with the job cuts, the process was in conflict with procedures laid down in the country’s labour laws.
He was responding to Patriotic Front (PF) Mpongwe Member of Parliament (MP) Gabriel Namulambe who asked if the Government was aware that the mine had shed its staff.
Mr Namulambe was following up to an answer given by Mr Shamenda’s deputy Alfreda Kansembe, that the Government had only received notification that five mines including MCM intended to lay off workers on the Copperbelt.
The other mines were, Konkola Copper Mines (KCM), Luanshya Copper Mines (LCM), Chibuluma Mine and Kalumbila Mine.
Mr Shamenda said any programme of redundancy or restructuring by the mines could only be recognised after dialogue between the affected companies and the unions were exhausted.
He said the mine owners were today expected to meet Energy and Water Development Minister Dora Siliya, an indaba that he and his Mines and Minerals Development counterpart Christopher Yaluma would take advantage of to get clarity on the reported jobs cuts.
Meanwhile, the boycott of proceedings by UPND MPs yesterday entered day-two as the lawmakers continued to protest over events that rocked the party secretariat in Kitwe on Wednesday.
All UPND MPs except Richwell Siamunene of Sinazongwe, Poniso Njeulu of Sinjembela, Greyford Monde of Itezhi-Tezhi and Dawson Kafwaya, left the House after the start of business yesterday.
timesofzambia
