Labour inspectors not doing their job effectively

Dear Editor,

MINISTRY of Labour inspectors are not doing their job effectively and there is therefore need for them to improve. The labour inspectors have a mammoth task to ensure that labour laws are strictly adhered to by the employers. In this manner, workers welfare will be respected and improved.

Some employers both local and foreign, violate the labour laws with impunity thereby demotivating the workers. This is not right and the problem must be addressed with the utmost urgency it deserves.

Chinese investors are the major culprits insofar as violation of labour laws is concerned. At most Chinese firms, you would find that workers work without protective clothing and safety boots, work in poorly ventilated rooms and they work abnormal hours, among other appalling conditions.

Implementation of the minimum wage by most employers is another area of concern. Despite the government last year formulating the policy on minimum wage as a way of motivating workers across the country, many companies have not complied by virtue of not implementing it.

Worse yet, the labour inspectors have not done much to see to it that the employers comply by remunerating their employees with the minimum wage.

Truth be told, employers have an obligation to pay what is due to the employees including the minimum wage. On the other hand, the employees are entitled to receive the correct wage including the minimum wage for the lowly paid employees and on time.

Shop workers and security guards get a salary of between K700.00 and K1, 000.00 per month. This does not make economic sense considering the fact that our national economy is in a state of quagmire.

It is very disappointing that most employees are maltreated by their employers especially the foreign nationals owning firms and yet we have the labour inspectors. It seems the labour inspectors have gone to sleep as they have exhibited high levels of ineptitude. This should come to an end.

However, it is high time the labour inspectors made impromptu visits to the work places to get first hand information regarding the appalling or rather poor working conditions of the employees. Ultimately, this will assist in averting some problems the workers face. The quicker this is done the better and now is the right time.

In conclusion, let me hasten to implore the labour inspectors to up their game by intensifying random visits to the work place to appreciate the challenges workers go through and how best to resolve them.

ELEMIYA PHIRI, Lusaka.