*MULUNGUSHI WORKERS IN LUSAKA DEMAND REMOVAL OF GM/HR*

… allege, management is firing people unfairly and replacing them

By Francis Chipalo

Unionized workers at the Mulungushi International Conference Center in Lusaka have demanded for the immediate removal from office, the Acting General Manager, Denis Moonga as well as the Human Resource Officer, a Ms Musonda, for allegedly unfair dismissals.

And the workers have appealed to Government through the Ministry of Labour to came to their aid, saying the action by management is uncalled for.

Moonga and Musonda are reportedly to have been in the Acting capacities as General Manager and Human Resource respectively, for over a year at one of the country’s biggest events center that continues to host both international and local events.

But despite continuous functions, the institution is said not to be making profits according to management, claims employees have said are not true.

A source who sought anonymity for fear of victimization alleged that management at the institution is terminating employment for some workers on the pretext that the company is operating at a loss.

“With the coming of the New Wing combined with two old buildings, the institution has been making profits contrary to what management is claiming,” the source said.

Affected departments includes the laundry and house keeping sections where some workers have received notices of termination of employment by management.

“Management has decided to terminate your employment with the company under redundancy program. Your last day will therefore be April 18th, 2024,” read in part the letter of termination of employment.

But another source said the reasons given by management to terminate people’s employments were unjustified.

The source also said some permanent workers have continued getting as low as a K1,500 as basic salary despite working for more than 8 years, adding that whenever they want to approach management for negotiations of conditions of service, issue of redundancy comes in so as to intimidate the workers.

“They are just firing people because they want to replace them with their own. They are busy on the other hand conducting backdoor interviews and that is very unfair, and we are asking for Government to interven because this action borders on people’s livelihoods,” said the affected source.

“If anything, the GM and HR should be removed from office because they do not mean well for the institution. As a matter of fact, one of our colleagues fainted and is threatening to commit suicide because of this action by management,” the source added.

But when contacted for Management’s explaination on the matter, HR Musonda referred all queries to company’s GM who responded, saying he was not happy with the reporter’s questions before rudely hanging up the call.

Attached is a letter of termination issued to one of the employees.
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