STOP THE SPLITS, PROTECT WORKERS
Labour leaders call for stronger union unity, better protection for young and informal workers as Government pushes for decent jobs and social dialogue
By Francis Maingaila ♥️
Lusaka, Zambia24 — 7-10-2026 — The Government and labour movement have called for stronger protection of workers and greater unity within trade unions, warning that fragmented representation could weaken workers’ bargaining power and leave young and informal workers more vulnerable to exploitation.
Speaking in Lusaka during the commemoration of the 2026 World Day for Decent Work, held under the theme “Young Workers Organize for the Future,” Labour Commissioner Given Muntengwa, representing Ministry of Labour and Social Security Permanent Secretary Zechariah Luhanga, said Zambia’s drive to create employment must go beyond increasing the number of jobs to ensuring that the jobs created are sustainable, productive and protect workers’ rights.
Mr Muntengwa said this meant linking employment creation to skills development, social protection, workplace rights and constructive relations between employers and workers.
He said Government was working with workers, employers and other social partners to ensure that employment creation was matched by skills development and adequate protection, particularly for young people entering a rapidly changing labour market.
Mr Muntengwa said Government was also working with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Research on work-based learning programmes aimed at protecting interns, apprentices and trainees while giving young people practical skills needed in the workplace.
“Looking into the future, you must then prepare the young people to stand or to be in good stead, to take the country forward, to take the labour sector forward,” he said.
“We should not produce labourers, we must produce sustainable and decent jobs.”
Mr Muntengwa said the challenge was not simply getting people into employment, but ensuring that employment provided a reasonable level of protection, opportunity and security.
He said the issue was particularly important because a large proportion of Zambia’s workforce was employed outside the formal economy, where access to labour protection and social security can be more difficult.
Mr Muntengwa said the 2025 Labour Force Survey showed that about 4.75 million people were employed, with approximately 3.2 million, representing 63.4 percent, working in the informal economy, particularly in agriculture, household and domestic work, wholesale and retail and construction.
He said the figures demonstrated why the decent work agenda could not be confined to formal workplaces.
Mr Muntengwa said decent work must extend to workers in the informal economy and be built around four key pillars — employment creation, rights at work, social protection and social dialogue.
He said employers and workers were interdependent because businesses could not grow without the contribution of workers, while workers depended on viable enterprises for sustainable employment.
“Employers with their capital investment cannot grow the industry without the input of the workers,” he said.
Mr Muntengwa said workers contributed to the generation of profits that benefited shareholders and management, while Government also benefited through taxation.
He said this relationship should therefore not be reduced to confrontation between employers and workers, because the survival and growth of businesses ultimately affected the livelihoods of workers and the wider economy.
Mr Muntengwa said labour relations should instead be based on engagement, mutual responsibility and dialogue, with each side understanding both its rights and responsibilities.
He said workers should be protected through clear and non-discriminatory workplace policies, effective grievance procedures, opportunities for career progression and attention to health and wellness.
He urged workers to engage employers and make use of trade unions when seeking to resolve workplace concerns rather than allowing disputes to escalate unnecessarily.
“We do not want the workers to go on the streets. We rather want the workers to engage through the platform of unionism, through ZCTU,” he said.
Mr Muntengwa said ZCTU had an important role in coordinating workers and providing them with an organised voice, particularly where individual workers might struggle to negotiate with employers on their own.
He also stressed the importance of social protection, saying workers needed protection against shocks arising from illness, accidents, loss of employment and other circumstances that could threaten their livelihoods.
He said Government would continue strengthening labour inspections and enforcement while distinguishing labour protection from occupational health and safety, both of which were important components of decent work.
On the proposed minimum wage review, Mr Muntengwa said Government was engaging stakeholders following a resolution of the Tripartite Consultative Labour Council.
He said the Ministry had also reached out to media practitioners for submissions to help advance the process.
“We reached out to media practitioners, but unfortunately we did not receive the submissions needed to advance the process,” he said.
Mr Muntengwa said labour inspections would also continue in private schools and other workplaces to ensure that workers were protected and employers complied with labour laws.
He said labour inspectors should not be viewed simply as officers looking for violations, but as referees helping employers and workers understand and comply with the law.
He said the Ministry would continue inspections and engagement with both sides to resolve disputes before they escalated into prolonged labour disputes or industrial action.
Mr Muntengwa said trade unionism was not only about negotiating salaries, but also about protecting workers during periods of economic uncertainty, citing the experience of the tourism sector during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said young people also needed skills development, workplace discipline and a commitment to continuous learning if they were to remain relevant in a changing labour market.
ZCTU Deputy Secretary General Dr Evans Chungu said young workers must take a more active role in the labour movement because Zambia’s youthful workforce would ultimately determine the future of both employment and trade unionism.
Dr Chungu said the theme of the 2026 World Day for Decent Work, “Young Workers Organising for the Future,” was particularly relevant because young people already constitute a significant part of the workforce.
“The theme cannot be overemphasized because when you look at the population of our country, most of the workers in this country are youthful,” Dr Chungu said.
He said young workers should not merely be treated as beneficiaries of decisions made by older generations, but should actively participate in organising, representing workers and shaping policies affecting their future.
“We want to recognise that these young ones should form part of the voice for the future, our workforce,” he said.
Dr Chungu urged the labour movement to use the commemoration to consider how young workers could be better organised, equipped and prepared to assume leadership roles in the years ahead.
Dr Beene warned against infighting and the creation of multiple unions, saying fragmentation could make it harder for workers to negotiate effectively because employers and Government would have to deal with competing voices claiming to represent the same interests.
“The good news is that no more multiplicity of unions. Through this, we have worked and produced an SI,” he said.
Dr Beene urged union leaders and members to resolve internal differences through dialogue rather than breaking away to establish new unions.
“So, you from the union team and in your unions, don't go and fight and differ thinking you are going to form another union,” he said.
“My worry, Guest of Honour, is that there is a lot of infighting within the unions. They are blindly thinking that when they split, they will form a union.”
He called for reconciliation within divided unions, stressing that disagreements should be addressed through established internal structures.
“Just reconcile. If it is a marriage, I won't say it has reached the stage where you can't reconcile. I am telling you, go and reconcile. You will never form any union if you split,” Dr Beene said.
Dr Beene said the challenge of fragmentation was also evident in collective bargaining, with 29 unions negotiating with one Government as an employer.
“We are 29 unions negotiating with government, one employer,” he said.
He said the large number of representatives involved in negotiations could make coordination difficult, particularly when unions were unable to develop a common position.
“If each union is coming with 10 people, 29 times 10 is how many? 290,” he said.
“When we say, ‘Can we sit down and strategise,’ how do you strategise your 290?”
Dr Beene said effective coordination required strong leadership and a common strategy, noting that the achievements of the labour movement were not easy to secure.
“It takes good leadership even to achieve what we normally achieve. It’s not easy,” he said.
He said strong trade union organisation was essential to decent work because workers who lack collective representation can have less influence in negotiating wages, working conditions and workplace rights.
“That’s why in all these institutions, a trade union should exist. If there is no union, just know that decent work is compromised,” Dr Beene said.
He also urged employers to regard trade unions as partners in national development rather than adversaries.
“Employers should see unions and union leaders as partners in development,” he said.
“We want to assure you, we are not stone throwers. We now engage. We shall tell you on the table.”
Dr Beene said the theme of the commemoration placed a particular responsibility on young workers, who faced challenges including unemployment, underemployment, insecure contracts and changing workplace conditions.
“Our message is clear: young workers, organise to defend your rights for decent wages and fairness. Organise for social protection and equality,” he said.
“Organise to develop the skills required by a changing world of work.”
He said Zambia’s Grow Zambia Agenda would not achieve its objectives if economic growth did not translate into decent and sustainable employment.
“But we are saying Grow Zambia Agenda without decent work, the equation is not balancing,” Dr Beene said.
He said an organised workforce should therefore not be viewed as an obstacle to economic development, but as a partner capable of helping shape policies and workplace practices that support both workers and the economy.
Mr Kopsieker said trade unions should return to their core responsibility of protecting workers, negotiating better conditions and preventing exploitation.
He said young workers were particularly vulnerable because many were new to employment and could be willing to make sacrifices to secure jobs or remain in the good books of management.
“Young workers are very much in danger of being taken advantage of and, to use the language of the labour movement, they are very much in danger of being exploited,” Mr Kopsieker said.
He said the labour movement needed to continuously speak about exploitation, workers’ rights and workplace protection if it was to remain relevant to young people.
Mr Kopsieker said the gap between young workers and trade unions could partly be linked to the number of unions and the confusion created by fragmented representation.
He noted that Zambia had more than 15 teachers’ unions, in addition to other public service unions.
“If you add the other unions from the public service, there’s another dozen at least to be added. So we have more than 25 unions in the public service,” he said.
Mr Kopsieker contrasted this with Germany, where the German Trade Union Confederation represents about 5.6 million workers through eight affiliated unions.
He said the comparison demonstrated the importance of effective collective representation, rather than simply having a large number of organisations claiming to represent workers.
“Representing workers’ interests, caring about bread and butter issues, this is what trade unions are for, negotiating for better conditions,” he said.
Mr Kopsieker said strong internal democracy was equally important because members who were dissatisfied with their leaders should have mechanisms to demand accountability and change leadership rather than form splinter organisations.
“If you’re not happy with your leaders, if you’re not happy with your representation and you feel you cannot change it, you are not a very vibrant trade union member,” he said.
“I think unions need to clean up their own houses and do a good job with respect to leadership and internal democracy,” Mr Kopsieker said.
He also called for a clear separation between trade union activity and party politics, saying the labour movement needed sufficient independence to engage Government from a position of strength.
Mr Kopsieker acknowledged Zambia’s historical relationship between trade unionism and politics, including the country’s second President’s background as a trade unionist, but said the labour movement should maintain its independence.
“There needs to be this explicit line between the labour movement and the political scene because the labour movement needs to be able to engage with government on an independent and strong footing,” he said.
He said effective tripartism required Government, employers and workers to maintain their own centres of power and negotiate from positions of strength.
Mr Kopsieker warned that the labour movement could face a “lose-lose” situation if young workers lost confidence in unions while unions simultaneously struggled to attract and retain younger members.
He said unions needed to demonstrate their value through effective representation and improved working conditions if they were to convince young people that joining a union was worthwhile.
“Once this is being seen and effective, young members, as I’m saying, young workers who are very, very vulnerable, I think will see the sense of joining trade unions and getting engaged in strengthening them,” he said.
Mr Mukonkombwe said the future of workplaces, businesses and the wider economy depended on how young people were prepared, supported and engaged.
He said decent work was not simply about having a job, but about creating workplaces where workers were treated with dignity, their rights respected and their skills developed while businesses remained productive and sustainable.
“Decent work is not simply about having a job. It is about creating workplaces where people are treated with dignity, where their rights are respected, where they have opportunities to develop their skills and capabilities, and where businesses are able to operate productively and sustainably,” he said.
Mr Mukonkombwe said productivity, enterprise development and decent work were closely connected because businesses that are productive and sustainable are better positioned to create and retain jobs.
“A workforce that is properly supported, trained and engaged contributes to the success and sustainability of enterprises,” he said.
He said young workers were entering workplaces shaped by new technologies, changing business models and evolving workplace practices, bringing energy, creativity, technological awareness, adaptability and a willingness to learn.
Mr Mukonkombwe said employers needed to provide young workers with opportunities for practical experience, skills development, exposure to workplace processes and career development.
He said young workers should also have a voice in industrial relations and social dialogue rather than simply being expected to fit into structures created for previous generations.
Mr Mukonkombwe said discussions involving young workers should therefore cover skills, technology, productivity, workplace culture, career development and employment opportunities.
He said social dialogue and tripartism allowed workers, employers and Government to bring different perspectives to the table and find areas of common ground instead of allowing disagreements to become industrial disputes.
“We may not always agree on every issue, but constructive engagement allows us to find areas of common ground and work towards outcomes that support both workers and sustainable enterprises,” he said.
Mr Mukonkombwe said internships, apprenticeships, work-based learning and mentorship programmes could help connect young workers to the workplace while also helping employers develop future talent.
He said young people were already part of the workforce and should be given the opportunity to learn, contribute and grow, while also taking responsibility for professionalism, discipline, following workplace procedures, commitment and continuous learning.
Mr Mukonkombwe said sustainable businesses were essential for creating sustainable jobs and called for an environment in which enterprises could start, grow and compete.
“Employers need an environment that allows them to remain competitive and create sustainable jobs, while workers need assurance that the jobs created provide dignity, opportunity and respect,” he said.
He said workers and employers therefore had a shared interest in productive, sustainable and competitive enterprises, making mutual respect and communication essential to the future of work.
Mr Mukonkombwe said young people should be encouraged to participate in workplace dialogue, professional associations and trade unions because their involvement could bring fresh perspectives and innovation.
He called for stronger investment in skills, practical experience and support for enterprises, saying the responsibility for decent work was shared by Government, employers, workers and other social partners.
“Through genuine social dialogue, we can address areas of disagreement while identifying opportunities for collaboration and common action,” he said.
Mr Mukonkombwe said the commemoration demonstrated the need for workers, employers, Government, young people, civil society and other stakeholders to work together in shaping the future of work.
He said the Zambia Federation of Employers remained committed to social dialogue, skills development, productivity, employment creation and sustainable enterprise development.
“Let us ensure that the future of work is one where young people have opportunities, businesses have the capacity to grow, workers have a voice, and all stakeholders work together in the spirit of partnership and mutual respect,” he said.
“As employers, we stand ready to play our part. As social partners, let us continue to work together. As Zambians, let us build a future of work that leaves no one behind.”
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