Trade union to drag Malawi govt to court

  1. Posted on Tuesday 28 September 2010 - 12:53
    Mtheto Lungu
    Image of Mtheto Lungu
    Mtheto Lungu, AfricaNews reporter in Lilongwe, Malawi
    The Malawi government risks being taken to court by workers through the Malawi Congress of Trade Unions (MCTU). The union says workers in Malawi are being offered a raw deal in the proposed Pension Bill.
    gavel
    Secretary General Robert Mkwezalamba said after meeting and consulting with workers both from the private and civil sectors the union had no choice but to drag government to court.

    ""It is suicidal to allow government to table the Bill in Parliament. The only option if negotiations fail," he suggested, "is a court injunction".

    "We cannot and will never be a party to such a bill that seeks to oppress workers," he said.

    The proposed Bill seeks to hold pension till the age of 50 for females and 60 for males after retirement. It also suggests that only when one is proved by a qualified medical practitioner registered with the Medical Council of Malawi, certifying that the employee is totally and permanently disabled from carrying out the functions of their office may they get their pension on retirement.

    "The reasons for which one can be paid before reaching the stipulated ages include if a member is about to leave or has left the country permanently or has died. Even when you reach the stipulated ages, you may get just 50% of the pension and be paid the remainder in bits on a monthly basis," he explained.

    Workers in the commercial city of Blantyre met the union and expressed their worries.

    Recently government warned it would hold MCTU accountable should anything happen as government will have to let the law take its course.

    Labour Minister Yunus Mussa warned against any dissenting actions in a televised statement after the union said it would take some unspecified steps in protest.

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