THE road has been muddy and rough for workers in Zambia, but they can now sigh with relief following the stringent measures Government is taking to restore order and sanity both to the formal and informal sectors.
The Ministry of Labour and Social Security, under the capable leadership of Mr Fackson Shamenda, a seasoned trade unionist, is taking ambitious steps to eliminate the ills that have encumbered the workers for many years.
Reports of worker abuse, especially in the agriculture and mining sectors, may not have ended, but there is a remarkable reduction in such cases.
We are aware that despite the logistical and other challenges it faces, the ministry is seeking to make a difference for the workers by scaling up inspections and raising awareness on safety and other issues among the Zambian people.
The country was in the past years awash with stories of employees working without safety attire and the verbal abuse they experienced at the hands of their employers.
There were also sticky matters of poor salaries, which have now been addressed by the introduction of the minimum wage so that workers in low-income brackets could have some relief.
As Mr Shamenda has observed, Zambia is extending social protection to all the workers regardless of whether they belong to the formal or informal sectors.
It is worth noting that Zambia has ratified Conventions 155 and187on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) to promote the safety of workers, especially in the mines.
However, the ministry is not stopping at only ratifying these important conventions. It is taking tangible steps to make the conventions meaningful.
We applaud the increased recognition of workers in the informal sector who also need to be covered by social protection.
These are employees with the same rights as those in the formal sector of the economy.
We are also elated to learn that the ministry intends to build capacity of its labour inspectors and to conduct training for newly-recruited labour officers.
Establishing a specialised court to deal with industrial relations matters up to the appeals stage is another valuable step which is being taken at the right time.
The complexity of the labour sector requires a multi-pronged approach, and the measures being employed are certainly welcome.
We are confident that with an officer already identified to build an international desk and the labour review process being undertaken, the Zambian workers will enjoy better visibility in national affairs.
The revelation by Labour Commissioner Cecilia Mulindeti-Kamanga that Zambia would like to have an inspection policy to guide labour inspections is another indicator of better things to come.
We will value the support International Labour Organisation director labour standards department, Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry has promised Zambia.
Dr Doumbia-Henry has assured of support to the OSH policy as well as training of labour inspectors.
ILO would also render support to training of journalists through an online course offered by the international training centre in Turin, Italy.
It is necessary to draw the attention of journalists to matters of labour since they are the conveyors of news.
With all these positive steps, there is sufficient hope for the workers in Zambia who are regaining their dignity.