Striking employees to face salary freeze, Education Minister Fabiano tells Malawi Parliament
Government says it intends to change the law during the next sitting of parliament so that striking employees should not get paid their salaries the period they are on sit in.
Minister of Education, Science and Technology Emmanuel Fabiano said this in parliament in response to concerns over the prolonged closure of Chancellor College, the constituent college of the University of Malawi.
“This is indeed unfortunate. We intend to change the Employment Act and Labour Relations Act so that when employees withdraw labour, they should not be paid,” said the minister.
He said the strikes prolong because the striking employees get paid whether they work or not and so not care how long the strike can take.
“This is working well in other countries. That is the only way to stop prolonged strikes,” he said.
Students at Chancellor College have not reported for classes for close to six months now after lecturers withdrew labour to force the government for equal work, equal pay with the University of Malawi salary structures. They say their colleagues at College of Medicine get higher salaries than other colleges.
The spate of strikes has hit Mzuzu University and Malawi University of Science and Technology.
Fabiano said the government has assured the striking employees that the salaries would be harmonised, saying workers in other constituent colleges have returned to work after the assurances, only the Chancellor College workers are stubborn.
MP Nyalonje said students in Malawi public schools spend much time outside campus than in campus because of strikes.
He said Malawi’s reputation abroad has been severely so much damaged because of this that Malawians with University of Malawi degrees find it difficult to get jobs.
Other members of parliament also expressed concern over the prolonged strikes saying this also affect foreign students who pay higher fees than their Malawians counterparts, saying most of them have now withdrawn to study in universities outside the country where there is discipline.
The state has last week obtained a court injunction stopping Judiciary workers for going on strike.
President Peter Mutharika said on Labour Day that employees should always give a chance to negotiations and strikes should be the last resort.
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Kwathu nkulira…poti ndife ana.
i strongly support what the minister has proposed. Bambo onyanyala kugula ndiwo saenereka kudya! KUMALAWI KUNO EVERYTHING NDI STRIKE, DEMO, AND SIT IN! ngati akunyanyala malipiro why kulandira malipiro ochepawo akalowa osanyanyalanso bwanji! this is rediculous! amend the law please we are supporting you. WHY CHANCO ALWAYS????????? WICKED POLITICIANS USE IT
Well Mr. Fabiano, you have teachers in Nsanje not paid their April salary hence they are striking. So you are here telling us that you want a law that will withdraw pay to striking staff instead of ensuring that those teachers are paid. By the way, are you not the same who said that government doesn’t want to intervene in a matter where it employed a body (university council) to manage? So, is this now decision of the council? The only solution is to get you fired! You have failed!
OK YOU WITHDRAW THEIR SALARIES NOW ??
WATCH OUT NEXT TIME
IT WILL BE YOU
China chimenecho
MAYBE WE SHOULD CONSIDER TO FIRE THOSE WHO MAKE THESE CARELESS MISTAKESWHICH COST THE GOVERNEMNT MONEY. WE KNOW WHO HAS TOLD FABIANO TO SAY THIS.
Just give them what they want. they are not stubbon bt you. si aphunzitsi a kupulaimaletu awa
I thot if ther striking fo thr job wch meanz thyr wekin,,,,thy wnt u 2 hea them,,,,nzakutchito kwao osat kunyumba kwao,,,so dnt sy kut sumumalipila,,,nde umbuli nkuzikonda kumeneko,,,iwe umakhala masiku angat muoffic ndipo angat kunyanja kumapanga zako?bt ur gettin paid fu salary,,,and bonusez,,,nw ur giving ur views like ths,,,osayamba kuzipanga zimen3zo kwamabwananu bwanji,,,so r u tellin us tht ppl thy dnt hav rights nw?Mr munaphunzila bt mulibe nzeru ,,,,strike is conserning ntchito zawo wch meanz thr wekn,,,,,itz nt personal,,,,,,so thnk twice
Fabiano is an idiot worse than a dog…..just look at his face it display evil.
That change in the law will likely be challenged on constitutionality. Doing this would essentially be depriving workers of the right to strike. While it may look good because of the chanco issue now very soon it will be exposed as bad law coz other employers will also use it meaning Malawian employees will not be able to strike effectively.