NESAWU to sue power firm over dismissals

THE National Energy Sector and Allied Workers Union (NESAWU) has threatened to sue Elsewedy Electric Limited over the dismissal of 16 employees in Ndola.

Elsewedy Electric recently fired 16 out of 36 employees, among them, nine union branch executive Committee members for what the company termed as an illegal strike. But according to NESAWU, the findings by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security indicated that the company unfairly dismissed the employees without following disciplinary procedures.

NESAWU General

Secretary, Manson

Mtambo, blamed Elsewedy management for failing to address the grievances employees.

The firm, he said, had over accrued pension benefits which it had allegedly failed to remit to Buyantanshi Pension Scheme as agreed during negotiations with the union. Mr Mtambo said in Ndola yesterday that should Elsewedy refuse to reinstate the 19 affected members, NESAWU would go to court to seek redress.

"We as NESAWU also protested against the company’s failure to uphold the rules of natural justice by giving the alleged offenders the right to be heard.

“During the disciplinary process, the company failed to adhere to the provisions of the disciplinary code, contracts of employment and labour laws," he said.

Mr Mtambo labelled the dismissals of the workers as pure victimisation of unionised employees, which amounted to a violation of Section 5 of the Industrial and Labour Relations Act. He complained that company management issued instructions to lock out 36 workers and later termed the act as an illegal strike instead of addressing them over the accrued pension benefits for the period between 2009 and 2014.