At least 180 workers at Lisikwa Coal Mine in Traditional Authority Wasambo in Karonga District on Monday sought an audience with Khwawa Ward councillor Molson Mocash Chirambo over their two-month unpaid salaries. The miners’ representative Emmanuel Kasambara said they were also ordered to stop going to work in February. “We are struggling to make ends meet.
We cannot pay rentals and school fees for our children. On top of that, we are failing to put food on the table,” he said. Chirambo said since last week, the miners have been to his house three times and he referred them to traditional leaders and the district’s labour office.
He said: “I thought I had done my part when I referred them to traditional leaders and the district labour office. “However, they are here again. I have told them to go to the district labour office to present their grievances since they border on labour-related issues.” He said: “Every year we go off season in December to align ourselves with sugar and tobacco production companies who are our coal buyers because they also close business during the rainy season.
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“So, management communicated the same to the workers but kept 30 workers who were assigned to finish the coal that was left but the other workers insisted in joining the 30 in the assignment.” Fedrico assured the workers that management was doing everything to pay their outstanding wages. However, Karonga district labour officer Peck Chawinga said his office plans to meet the concerned parties this week.
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