LABOUR ‘CALMS’ PROFESSIONAL TRUCK DRIVERS
THE LABOUR Commissioner will start appraising all professional truck drivers on labour laws so as to bring sanity and professionalism to the sector.
This follows a work stoppage threat recently by the local professional truck drivers protesting unfavourable working conditions, and challenges relating to licensing, said Road Transport and Safety Agency Public Relations Manager Frederick Mubanga.
Mr Mubanga said the Ministry of Transport and
Communications had reached a consensus with the local professional truck drivers regarding a number of issues that were presented to the ministry in relation to the professional truck drivers’ operations. Mr Mubanga said the Director of Transport under the ministry was tasked to arrange a meeting where the Labour Commissioner was to appraise all professional truck drivers on the relevant labour laws.
In a statement he said the respective unions representing truck drivers were also instructed to write to all truck operators to inform them about the planned visits to all work places to follow up on labour matters.
“Following deliberations with stakeholders, it was agreed that all associations could not represent its members on labour matters and therefore all labour matters affecting professional truck drivers in Zambia must be dealt with by the respective labour unions,” he said.
Mr Mubanga said the meeting also resolved that all Labour unions representing truck drivers should form one joint negotiating team to negotiate a sector minimum wage for all truck drivers. Mr Mubanga said the RTSA was also tasked to introduce a mechanism that would ensure that a thorough due diligence was conducted on all applicants for Road Service Licences (RSLs).
He said the mechanism would also include a systematic procedure for scrutinising all applicants to ensure that all candidates are compliant to set standards as prescribed in the Road Traffic Act, as well as compliant to labour laws.
This follows a meeting that was held on August 2, 2019 chaired by Ministry of Transport and Communication, Permanent Secretary, Eng. Misheck Lungu.