“You'll Be Fired if You Refuse” - Human Rights Watch

We have two main unions here in Zambia, MUZ and NUMAW…. The Chinese
know that MUZ is considered pro-[Sata], and also that it has more power.
It’s older and stronger. MUZ tried to establish a branch here at CCS, with
NUMAW already here. The chief executive of CCS kept them out though. The
management wants to make sure and keep us from being able to join them,
even though many of us want to…. The majority of workers in fact think that
NUMAW is weak, but we cannot join MUZ.
MUZ brought forms awhile back, it was probably a year ago at least, early
when I was working here [since early 2009]. Management made clear to us
that we would be dismissed if we signed. A lot of us had already signed
them—I had—but we ripped them up and threw them away when we were
told that. I can’t lose my job, even if I’d prefer MUZ. 281
A miner at the Sino Metals processing plant expressed similarly:
Right now, we only have NUMAW; the management won’t allow MUZ to
come in, because they know it’s stronger. They say if we bring MUZ, MUZ
will cause too much problems advocating for [our rights]. We’ve tried, but
with no success. We have tried to sign stop orders, it’s been over two years
since many of us did this. We gave them to HR, who is still keeping the
forms and does nothing. If MUZ was allowed in, it would help. 282
Another worker at Sino Metals said that to keep the workers from joining MUZ, “Zambian
bosses have told us that the Chinese will fire anyone who tries to establish MUZ here.” 283
A 2007 report on the Zambian copper industry noted shortcomings in Zambia’s labor
legislation in terms of protecting the right to establish a union branch office:
Zambia’s weak labour legislation makes organising workers, particularly
setting up union branches in new workplaces, difficult. Unions cannot
simply go into a company and announce that they want to recruit. Rather,
before recognition can be considered, the union must identify a “shadow
committee” of employees. However, the experience of MUZ organizers is
281 Human Rights Watch interview with acid plant operator C at CCS, Kitwe, July 16, 2011.
282 Human Rights Watch interview with forklift operator A at Sino Metals, Kitwe, July 13, 2011.
283 Human Rights Watch interview with copper sampler A at Sino Metals, Kitwe, November 8, 2010.
“YOU’LL BE FIRED IF YOU REFUSE” 88