REMOVE INEPT LABOUR LEADERS

THE recent revelation about downright ignorance among some trade union leaders is an inevitable reference point as Zambian workers celebrate Labour Day, an event on the global calendar. Thus it has become imperative in Zambia today to have more discourse between trade union leaders and their members, if revelation by Labour and Social Security Minister Joyce Simukoko is anything to go by. The Labour Minister let the cat out even before she concluded her Copperbelt tour recently that a good number of trade union leaders are usually at sea in as far as negotiations for salaries and conditions of service are concerned. Additionally, she revealed that some of them do not have a slightest idea of the provisions of the labour laws. The disclosure was as blunt as it was startling! Workers in various sectors have been screaming blue murder at employers, yet their representatives are lame ducks who prostrate at the feet of employers, particularly in the private sector. They remain mum in the boardrooms during negotiations, but become vocal and vibrant in front of their members, accusing management of unfair practices. As the workers celebrate Labour Day, they should expend much of their energies exploring ways of strengthen their bargaining power; they must find ways of electing the right people into union leadership. Workers need to thoroughly screen candidates who vie for positions in the labour movement so that they do not end up with incompetent representatives. They need to ensure that they put into office men and women of integrity who would not falter when crafty employers dangle loans, favours and fringe benefits. Trade unionism requires a leadership that is courageous, understanding, competent and which is well-versed with all pieces of labour legislation. The Industrial and Labour Relations Act, Employment Act, Minimum Wages and Conditions of Services Act, National Pensions Act and many other laws are readily available for union leaders to decipher. They should also be adept with negotiating skills and basic responsibilities of a trade union leader; they should know how to acquit themselves as representatives. The leadership should be up-to-date with current affairs both locally and internationally. It is also important for such leaders to understand the trends in the economy and specifically how their respective firms are performing. They must be reasonable. An ignorant union leader is a danger not only to the members but also to the industry and the country as a whole. Equally, a dishonest union leader will breed confusion to both the workers and the company. The irony in industry currently is that union leaders in firms that are generating reasonable profits end up clinching surprisingly raw deals. On the flip side, workers` representatives in companies that are mired in financial woes for many years propose hugely outrageous figures during salary negotiations. Some union leaders are genuinely ignorant while others are absolute spoilers. Therefore, as the May Day unfolds, workers and their union leaders must isolate this matter, digest it thoroughly and put their house in order rather than chasing the wind. Labour is an important aspect in a firm, industry and the country as a whole because it is an integral part of economic development; it is a factor of production that is inextricably linked to growth. It is important, therefore, that union leaders offer effective representation for members on one hand and also remain honest social partners of employers. They must not disrupt operations through illegal strikes or stifle operations with outrageous demands. The Zambia Congress of Trade Unions and the Federation of Free Trade Unions of Zambia, the two labour centres, must wake up and revive their education as well as their research units. They are dead!