By Meluse Kapatamoyo
The day May 1 is celebrated as International Labour Day. It is a day meant to honour the contribution employees worldwide make towards their various economies and companies. But for one worker interviewed by Mywage Zambia, the day does not hold any significance.
“To show its appreciation for the great work we do, last year my company gave each worker a chicken worth K20, 000 (about US$4). Employees who had been with the company for more than six years received wall clocks for their hard work and dedication,” explained Maria Lungu who works for a manufacturing company in the capital, Lusaka.
“For a company whose highest paid employee gets K800, 000, this was a lot of money they spent on us. But what is the point of celebrating one day, when you spend the rest of the year in misery? We work long hours including weekends and holidays but never get overtime. We have no medical cover and worse, we do not get any protective clothing. What is there to celebrate?” she asked.
Maria pleaded for better conditions of service than a one day event where companies try to out-do each by parading their employees and seeing who wore the best and most expensive suits.
In an interview, Leonard Hikaumba of the Zambia Congress of Trade Union (ZCTU) said Labour Day was the most important day for workers as it gave them an opportunity to express their grievances.
“Unfortunately there are a lot of workers who are being exploited by not only foreign owned companies but also locals. That is why this day is very important. It gives us a chance to speak out against such exploitation being perpetrated by those companies,” he said.
Hikaumba urged companies to show proper appreciation to deserving employees. “This system of awarding employees wall clocks should stop. It has become the norm for most companies in Zambia. I urge companies to find better ways of showing their appreciation, one which will encourage their employees,” he said.