Zam mining crippled as third mine joins strike

LUSAKA – Workers at a third Zambian mine have joined a strike that has crippled copper production in the southern African country, industry and union officials said on Friday.

Miners at the majority Chinese-owned Chambishi mine – which produced 49 054 tonnes of copper concentrate last year – joined the stoppage on Thursday, a day after it halted output at the country’s Nkana smelter and two major mines, they said. Nkana is Zambia’s largest copper smelter, owned by Konkola Copper Mines (KCM).It also owns the two other strike-hit mines – Konkola and Nchanga – which account for most of Zambia’s total finished copper output, reaching 397 000 tonnes last year.The string of strikes is likely to hurt Zambia’s projected target to produce up to 500 000 tonnes this year.Chambishi mine director of finance Anil Bangur told Reuters that management viewed the strike action as illegal, but negotiations were taking place.”I cannot comment right now because this strike action is illegal although we are in negotiations,” he said without giving further details.The China Non-Ferrous Metals Industries Foreign Engineering and Construction Group owns 85 per cent of Chambishi, with the remainder held by Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Holdings Plc, a state-owned group.Enerst Mutale, the general secretary for the Mine Workers Union of Zambia, told Reuters that negotiations were continuing with KCM on Friday, after lasting most of the night.Konkola is 79 per cent owned by UK-listed Vedanta Resources Ltd.”These strike actions are a culmination of frustration miners have faced since privatisation of the mines,” Mutale said.After privatisation in 2001 miners had expected improved conditions of service but these had not been met, he said.A miner’s minimum take-home pay was US$200 a month, he said.Workers at the KCM-owned mines and smelter are demanding a 100 per cent pay rise, but managers have not disclosed their offer.Mutale said Chambishi workers were demanding a 50 per cent pay rise while management were offering 10 per cent, up from an initial 8,5 per cent.”We are not looking forward to declaring disputes, what we need is a settlement to workers’ demands,” Mutale said.Once the KCM negotiations were concluded, union officials would engage Chambishi management to resolve the stalemate, he said.In March, Chambishi mine projected a rise in the production of copper concentrate to 65 000 tonnes in 2005 from 49 054 tonnes last year.Management said Chambishi was also on course to produce finished copper this year, the first time since its Chinese owners bought it in 1999.-Nampa-ReutersNkana is Zambia’s largest copper smelter, owned by Konkola Copper Mines (KCM).It also owns the two other strike-hit mines – Konkola and Nchanga – which account for most of Zambia’s total finished copper output, reaching 397 000 tonnes last year.The string of strikes is likely to hurt Zambia’s projected target to produce up to 500 000 tonnes this year.Chambishi mine director of finance Anil Bangur told Reuters that management viewed the strike action as illegal, but negotiations were taking place.”I cannot comment right now because this strike action is illegal although we are in negotiations,” he said without giving further details.The China Non-Ferrous Metals Industries Foreign Engineering and Construction Group owns 85 per cent of Chambishi, with the remainder held by Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines Holdings Plc, a state-owned group.Enerst Mutale, the general secretary for the Mine Workers Union of Zambia, told Reuters that negotiations were continuing with KCM on Friday, after lasting most of the night.Konkola is 79 per cent owned by UK-listed Vedanta Resources Ltd.”These strike actions are a culmination of frustration miners have faced since privatisation of the mines,” Mutale said.After privatisation in 2001 miners had expected improved conditions of service but these had not been met, he said.A miner’s minimum take-home pay was US$200 a month, he said.Workers at the KCM-owned mines and smelter are demanding a 100 per cent pay rise, but managers have not disclosed their offer.Mutale said Chambishi workers were demanding a 50 per cent pay rise while management were offering 10 per cent, up from an initial 8,5 per cent.”We are not looking forward to declaring disputes, what we need is a settlement to workers’ demands,” Mutale said.Once the KCM negotiations were concluded, union officials would engage Chambishi management to resolve the stalemate, he said.In March, Chambishi mine projected a rise in the production of copper concentrate to 65 000 tonnes in 2005 from 49 054 tonnes last year.Management said Chambishi was also on course to produce finished copper this year, the first time since its Chinese owners bought it in 1999.-Nampa-Reuters