Striking Zambian Workers not Give in Despite Govt. Threat

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, September 05, 2003

Striking Zambian Workers not Give in Despite Govt. Threat

Zambia's striking public service workers have vowed to go on with their nationwide strike, despite threats of actions by the government, the official Zambia News Agency said Thursday.

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Zambia's striking public service workers have vowed to go on with their nationwide strike, despite threats of actions by the government, the official Zambia News Agency said Thursday.

Darison Challa, secretary general of the Civil Servants and Allied Workers' Union of Zambia (CSAWUZ), told an assembly of workers in Lusaka that the union is ready for any repercussions for continuing the strike.

"We want to get what is due to us. Zambia is our country," he told the workers who chanted "No retreat, no surrender" and other slogans.

He was reacting to a national speech Wednesday by Zambian Vice President Nevers Mumba, who said the strike is illegal and that the government will suspend or even deregister the trade unions for continuing the strike, now in its ninth days.

Chaala said Mumba is only four months old in his office and therefore cannot teach his union about labor laws.

The civil servants are on strike to protest the government's non-payment of housing allowances granted to them in the 2003 collective agreement.

Speaking on the same occasion, the Zambia Congress of Trade Union President Leonard Hikaumba said the government's threat to even deregister the unions is not a solution to the strike.

"Even though the workers go back to work today, they would not work because their morals are down," he said.

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