Intercontinental hotel accused of intimidating workers

The Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has accused Intercontinental Hotel management of intimidating workers into signing a document purporting that all is well at the hotel.

ZCTU Director of Public Relations and International Affairs Martin Chembe in a statement says the union condemns the action by the hotel management.

Mr. Chembe says workers at the hotel are working under constant threat of dismissal due to the alleged oppressive behavior of management.

He says ZCTU is calling upon government to intervene in the labour abuses going on at the hotel where workers have complained of ill-treatment, a situation which prompted the union to call for the deportation of the assistant general Manager Michael Naber believed to be behind the perpetration abuses on workers.

Mr Chembe states that workers are currently being forced to sign a paper showing that the hotel observes human rights in the company when this is not true.

He says ZCTU demands that Intercontinental hotel management withdraws the said document.

Mr Chembe adds that ZCTU reiterates that government should deport Mr Naber because his actions are unacceptable and are demoralizing workers at the hotel and this will result in low productivity and a decline in standards.

He has further demanded the reinstatement of the 34 hotel workers dismissed illegally

Mr Chembe says the hotel workers followed the law before going on strike by the procedure required to call for a strike and that it is not true that workers went on an illegal strike.