GRIZZLY PLEDGES CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN TECHNOLOGY

GRIZZLY Mining Limited will continue to reinvest in machinery, technology to increase the effectiveness, efficiency of the company and motivate the workers to increase production through better conditions of service, " Company Vice Chairman Ba Abdoul has said

Mr Abdoul said the company has awarded a 10 percent salary increase across the board for 1,197 of its employees for 2023 and 2024.

In the 2021 and 2022 collective bargaining, the workers were offered eight percent increment across the board. Mr Abdoul was speaking yesterday at Mindolo dam during the signing of the collective agreement for 2023 /2024

Mr Abdoul said management had awarded the worker's a 10 percent plus increment amounting to K1,250 of which K600 was effective this month while in April 2024 it would be K650.

"Management has decided to offer a 10 percent plus salary increment for our employees for 2023 and 2024 following conclusion of our collective bargaining with mine unions,

"The mining firm could have loved to give more to its workers but that it needs to reinvest in machinery and technology in order to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the mines productivity.

He said the percent increase across the board which had been agreed was meant to mitigate the economic hardships which the workers could be facing.

Mr Abdoul said the mine was happy that the new dawn administration had put in place sound investment policies to allow the mining industry to grow.

"Workers should therefore continue with dedication and hard work so that we can achieve greater productivity. The company would continue to adhere to fair work place practices and social justice so that we try and increase the morale of the workers as major drivers it the company,” Mr Abdoul said.

And Mine Workers Union of Zambia (MUZ) general secretary George Mumba advised the management to communicate with the work force on whatever it was planning to do so that they understand what the company was doing

Mr Mumba also advised the mining firm to prioritize safety of its workers and always find ways of motivating its workers to make them work harder

He said safety of workers was cardinal if the company was to increase productivity and effectiveness.

He however, said the fact that they had concluded the negotiations within a short time was not a sign of weakness, but that they wanted a win-win situation.

"Let me also advise branch unions to continue engaging management for better negotiations and offer in the coming future and the agreed salary increments and other supporting emoluments are better to save miners jobs at the mine," Mr Mumba said