Govt. gives Handyman Paradise ultimatum on minimum wage

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Handyman Paradise
Handyman Paradise

Government  has given Handyman Paradise Ndola branch 30 days ultimatum  to correct  payment anomalies or risk the long arm of the law.


Luanshya District Senior Labour officer Benson Mwiinga says the local firm should ensure that its payroll system conforms with government’s  provision on minimum wages and conditions of service.

Mr. Mwiinga said  he regretted that the company has pathetic  work conditions of service which were below minimum wage and conditions of service.

 

ZANIS in Luanshya  reports that the labour official said this in an interview , today.

 

He said  that the company has discrepancies in its payroll system among other anomalies which were in conflict with the minimum wage and conditions of services act, industrial and labour relations act as well as the employment act.


“The company pays its Sales Manager less than the rest of the workers, for example general workers get a basic of K700 whereas the sales manager gets K650, the gratuity paid to the workers is also too low and worse still paid after a long time and the company did not consult the labour office before reducing the gratuity, ” Mr. Mwiinga explained.


He observed that employees were also not unionized hence the need for quick intervention by government to prevent the continued oppression of workers.


Mr. Mwiinga stated that if left unchecked, it was feared that the situation would led to industrial unrest adding that the low basic pay would affect the separation package for employees.


He further recommended that workers be paid meaningful salaries, which should be above minimum wage, and that management should appreciate the employee’s professional qualifications.


Mr. Mwiinga further said to allow for better conditions of service, the ideal situation was to let the workers be unionized and that the employer pays the manager a higher salary than that of his subordinates.


Handyman Paradise is a group of companies’ specialized in selling hardware and building materials with brunches around the country whose headquarters is in Lusaka.


Its Ndola brunch has a workforce of 12 Zambian employees.

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