Dialogue over wage freeze, Tembo tells ZCTU

Former Anti-Voter Apathy Project (AVAP) executive director Bonnie Tembo has urged Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) to dialogue with government in its approach towards the wage freeze issue.

Mr. Tembo said that resorting to protests, demonstrations, or picketing in trying to handle the matter was not a solution at all.

He told ZANIS in Lusaka today that it was strange that some Members of Parliament from opposition political parties were in support of the planned confrontation by the labour movement.

Mr. Tembo has since appealed to the opposition political parties and the labour movement not to politicise the wage freeze issue as there were already established channels for constructive engagements.

He urged opposition politicians to concentrate on strengthening their parties and not to hijack the wage freeze matter.

ZCTU recently  warned that it will organize  countrywide mass demonstrations with the first one targeted outside the country’s parliament building  if the government does not lift the wage freeze imposed on public workers.

The wage freeze, which government imposed early this year, is scheduled to last for two years.