ILLOVO FIRES THOUSAND OF WORKERS IN ZAMBIA

At least two thousand metric tonnes of sugar production has halted at Zambia’s biggest sugar milling plant, Nakambala Estates.

This follows industrial unrest at the estates, resulting in the consequent dismissal of at least a thousand workers.

The workers at the mill, which is run by South Africa’s Illovo-controlled Zambia Sugar and located in the southern town of Mazabuka, have been on strike for the last three days.

The workers had been demanding for a 35 per cent pay rise, prompting their abandoning of work.

Zambia Sugar expects its sugar output to increase by more than 7 percent to over 400,000 tonnes in the current 2012/2013 season from last year.

But this target is under threat following the workers action.

Wage negotiations between Zambia Sugar and the union began in January but collapsed in May after the company said it could not meet their demands.

Zambia Sugar subsequently took the matter to court but the workers went on strike before the court could make a ruling, the company said.