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.
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