By JACOB CHANDA –
THE Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has urged the labour movement in the country to be committed to serving society.
Speaking in Kabwe during the Zambia Union of Journalists (ZUJ) Capacity Building Workshop, ZCTU deputy secretary general for finance and business administration Misheck Nyambose said there was need for the unions to work together and bring positive change which would increase service delivery to the union membership.
“It is no secret that unions including ZCTU are facing a number of challenges. With this in mind, we must understand that we require concerted efforts for us to overcome these challenges,” Mr Nyambose said.
Mr Nyambose said trade unions have faced difficult moments during negotiations for improved conditions of service for members, both in the private and public sectors.
He said this situation had left many affiliates financially constrained.
He emphasised on the need for all the stakeholders to increase their efforts in ensuring that the reputation of trade unions in the country become a force to reckon with.
“I am sure if we work together, we can do a lot to change our poor performance as seen by the outside world. We must work hard to change the union image,” he said.
Mr Nyambose challenged participants to come up with workable and brilliant ideas that would market their institutions.
“We are going to consolidate the efforts of the new team in ZUJ National Executive Committee (NEC) to reposition and refocus the union,” he added.
Furthermore, Mr Nyambose maintained ZCTU’s non-partisan stance but would support the Government of the day, since they were the implementers of national policy.
“We need to work together, to lobby and advocate for the necessary changes to the labour laws.
The labour laws reforms have taken too long but we must pressure Government to give us the new labour law, because this would help the unions to be viable and our work to be effective,” he said.