SPEECH BY ZUFIAW GENERAL SECRETARY AT LASF SIGNING CEREMONY, 6TH MAY 2022.

THE MANAGING DIRECTOR

SENIOR MANAGEMENT

ZUFIAW NATIONAL TRUSTEE

CHAIRPERSON OF THE BARGAINING UNIT

BRANCH LEADERS

SECRETARIAT STAFF

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

MD, AS A UNION WE ARE ALIVE TO THE FINANCIAL CHALLENGES THAT THE FUND HAS BEING EXPERIENCING THE LAST FEW YEARS. IT IS WORTH MENTIONING THE NEGATIVE IMPACT THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC HAS PLACED ON OUR ECONOMY FUELED BY HIGH INFLATION, COST OF GOODS AND SERVICES, UNSTABLE KWACHA, HIGH FUEL PRICES DUE TO THE REMOVAL OF SUBSIDIES AND NOW THE CURRENT CRISIS IN RUSSIA UKRAINE LEADING TO INCREASED COST OF LIVING THEREBY ERODING THE VALUE OF WAGES. IT IS THEREFORE CREDITABLE THAT MANAGEMENT WERE ABLE TO CAUHON UNIONIZED MEMBERS OF STAFF WITH A 5% ADJUSTMENTS ON TRANSPORT ALLOWANCE BUT WE FIRMLY BELIEVE MANAGEMENT COULD HAVE GIVEN BETTER. WE WISH TO EXPRESS OUR CONCERN OVER THE NUMBERS OF FREE RIDERS AND WILL BE ENGAGING HUMAN RESOURCE TO CORRECT THIS SITUATION.MD, DESPITE THE NUMEROUS CHALLENGES THE FUND IS FACING, WE STRONLY APPEAL TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM TO MAKE BUDGETARY PROVISIONS TO AWARD A SALARY INCREMENT FOR 2023 AS WAY OF MOTIVATING THE WORKFORCE, PRIORITIZING THEIR WELFARE AND CREATING EQUITY FOR ALL EMPLOYEES OF LASF AS PER THEIR CONDITIONS OF SERVICE. YOU WILL BE HAPPY TO LEARN THAT HARD WORK IS ONE OF OUR KEY VALUES AS A UNION HENCE MAY I REITERATE ZUFIAW’S COMMITMENT TO THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE FUND AND WE SHALL CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE OUR MEMBERS TO WORK EXTRA HARD AND HELP MEET SHAREHOLDERS’ EXPECTATIONS. TO THOSE BEEN AWARDED THIS AFTERNOON, MAY I CONGRATULATE AND ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTINUE WORKING HARD. TO THE OTHERS, THIS CEREMONY IS A REMINDED FOR US TO WORK HARDER IN 2022 SO THAT COME 2023 WE WILL BE RECOGNISED AND AWARDED.MD, ALLOW ME ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD AND INDEED MY OWN BEHALF TO PLACE ON RECORD THE VALUE AND IMPORTANCE WE ATTACH TO THE PARTNERSHIP WE HAVE ENJOYED OVER THE YEARS. HOWEVER, WE ARE VERY CONCERNED WITH THE UNHEALTHY RAPPORT BETWEEN MANAGEMENT AND THE BRANCH LEADERSHIP AND ALSO MANAGEMENT’S ATTEMPTS TO CHANGE CONDITIONS OF SERVICE IN THE NAME OF POLICY. GOING FORWARD, I WILL CAUTION BOTH PARTIES TO ADHERE TO THE PROVISIONS OF OUR RECOGNITION AND COLLECTIVE AGREEMENTS. I WANT TO APPEAL TO YOU AND YOUR TEAM TO LOOK AT THE UNION AS A PARTNER IN THE SUSTAINABILITY AND GROWTH OF THE FUND. OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORT IN MANAGING ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ASSETS OF THE FUND WHICH IS HUMAN CAPITAL CAN HELP TRANSFORM THIS INSTITUTION. AS ZUFAW, WE WILL PARTNER WITH LASF AND THE GOVERNMENT IN ADVOCATING FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE, DECENT JOBS AND MAINTAINING INDUSTRIAL HARMONY HENCE WE WILL REMAIN PROFESSIONAL IN OUR CONDUCT AS WE LIVE OUR MOTTO OF “WORKERS FIRST” AND ALSO ENSURE EVERY LEADER ACROSS ALL STRUCTURES IS PROTECTED FROM INTIMIDATION. TO THE BRANCH LEADERSHIP, MAY I AFIRM MY AND THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL’S FULL SUPPORT AS YOU CARRY OUT YOUR DUTIES.FINALLY, TO THE BARGAINING TEAM, MAY I COMMEND YOU FOR THE PROFESSIONALISM, MATURITY AND PATIENCE DURING THE PERIOD OF NEGOTIATIONS. I WILL REQUEST MANAGEMENT AND THE BRANCH UNION LEADERSHIP TO FREQUENTLY HAVE THOSE INTELLIGENT CONVERSATIONS SO THAT WE CAN REDUCE THE NUMBER OF SITTINGS DURING BU.

OVER AND ABOVE WELL DONE

THANK YOU

KASAPO SUNDREA KABENDE GENERAL SECRETARY