.ZAFFICO casual workers protest demanding improved conditions of service. Picture By MILDRED KATONGO

By MILDRED KATONGO –

ZAMBIA Forestry and Forest Industries Corporation Limited (ZAFFICO) casual workers yesterday gave police a hard time when they held a protest demanding improved conditions of service.
Workers who marched from Levy Mwanawasa Stadium to the ZAFFICO offices outnumbered the police officers who tried to stop them from going ahead with the protest.
A check by the Times found workers chanting slogans outside the ZAFFICO head offices demanding that management to improves their conditions of service.
The workers could not be controlled until the police re-enforced more officers to calm the angry workers who waited for two hours before management addressed them.
Workers complained that despite staging the first protest, management did not meet their demands but only promised to do so.
They said they worked without protective clothing and tools which they had to provide for themselves.
“The conditions of service are poor, we get as low as K400. We do not have protective clothing and tools, the last time we protested management promised to do something but nothing has been done so far, we are here today, we want to be addressed,“ they said.
Company secretary Morgan Mukwasa said when he addressed the workers that the company had resolved to look into the matter and see how it could increase their salaries.
Mr Mukwasa, who had a hard time in addressing the angry workers said he could not say the company had increased the salaries because it needed to follow procedure before effecting the increment.
“We have heard your complaints and as a company we follow procedures, we need to tell the bosses about that then we can start the process of salary increment, for now you will not be working for one week until Friday next week when you will get your salaries,” he said.
He told Journalists after addressing the Workers that the company had always been complying with the minimum wage for its workers.
Mr Mukwasa said the casual workers who were complaining were just a fraction as thousands of other employees had continued working and were not complaining.
He, however, said the company would look into the matter and solve the grievances of the casual workers.