Government Makes Progress in Developing a Minimum Wage Transport Drivers

Labour Commissioner Givens Muntengwa says government has made progress in developing a minimum wage for the transport sector through the Labour Advisory Committee.

Mr. Muntengwa says the minimum wage will, going forward, act as a basis for unions in the transport sector to negotiate for conditions of service for their members.

He reiterated government’s commitment to developing a Statutory Instrument that regulates conditions of service for protected workers.

And Mr. Muntengwa has advised drivers in the transport sector against going on strike over the minimum wage because they do not fall under protected workers.

He says the planned strike is illegal because drivers in the transport sector have no sector minimum wage.

Addressing leaders of four transport sector unions at his office in Lusaka today, Mr. Muntengwa said the unions are instead supposed to negotiate for better conditions of service for their members.

He said striking before any dispute has been declared is illegal and drivers found wanting risk being fired by their employers.

The transport sector unions that attended the meeting are National Union of Transport and Allied Workers, United Truck Drivers and Allied workers Union of Zambia, Zambia Bus and Taxi Union of Zambia and Zambia Union of Tanker Drivers and Allied workers.

This article originally appeared on Lusaka Times