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Government has raised concern with the reported emergence of employer cartels and informal platforms that have in some instances been used to suppress labour standards, discourage employee mobility, and undermine fair employment practices.
Ministry of Labour and Social Security Permanent Secretary, Zacharia Luhanga, said a nationwide inspections, uncovered widespread breaches by some employers, including failure to issue written contracts of employment and non-compliance with statutory obligations to NAPSA, NHIMA, and the Workers Compensation Fund Control Board.
Luhanga raised the concern on Wednesday during the launch of the recognition agreement for the transport sector Trade Unions and Employers’ Associations at Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka.
Other violations cited included failure to provide adequate personal protective equipment, unfair salary deductions, unlawful dismissals, delayed payment of wages, and non-compliance with prescribed minimum wages and conditions of employment.
The Permanent Secretary also flagged concerns on the union side, noting that some trade unions had not been adequately representing the interests of their members, with weak branch structures and limited engagement in wage negotiations.
He singled out the emergence of informal employer groupings as particularly damaging, saying they had at times been used to block employee movement between firms and push down labour standards across the sector.
“Such developments are inconsistent with the principles of decent work and respect for workers’ rights,” Luhanga stated.
He pointed out that the new Recognition Agreement was meant to fix that and create a formal framework for structured dialogue and collective bargaining between employers and workers in the transport sector.
According to Luhanga, the deal would promote orderly industrial relations and strengthen mechanisms for resolving workplace disputes before they escalate into strikes or work stoppages.
“It is also expected to harmonize representation by bringing greater coordination among the multiple unions operating in the industry, reducing fragmentation and giving workers a stronger, unified voice,” he said.
Luhanga stated that through the agreement, employers and unions would be able to negotiate sector-wide solutions to common challenges, including wages, conditions of employment, occupational safety and health, and productivity.
The Permanent Secretary said a well-organized workforce contributed to stable labour relations and gave workers a chance to participate meaningfully in decisions affecting their welfare and livelihoods.
“Government first intervened in the sector by issuing the Minimum Wages and Conditions of Employment (Truck and Bus Drivers) Order, later amended in 2022 to close gaps and strengthen implementation,” he highlighted.
Luhanga stated that despite those steps, the Ministry continued to receive numerous complaints and reports of industrial unrest, prompting intensified inspections that exposed the scale of non-compliance.
He revealed that in 2025 alone, the Ministry’s Contact Centre received over 2,000 calls and 400 emails from workers and employers seeking redress, the Permanent Secretary disclosed.
Luhanga urged citizens to use the toll-free line available on all networks, and noted that 32 Ministry services were now accessible online through the Government Service Bus.
“The transport sector is too important to Zambia’s economy to be weakened by avoidable labour disputes, non-compliance, and mistrust among stakeholders,” he said.
Calling the agreement “a new beginning,” the Permanent Secretary reaffirmed government’s commitment to enforcing labour laws while creating an enabling environment for business growth and investment.
Truckers Association of Zambia (TAZ) Chairperson Patrick Malindi hailed the agreement, describing it as a “turning point” for industrial relations.
Malindi said the transport industry remains the backbone of commerce, trade, and connectivity, but has been plagued by disputes that threaten its stability and growth.
“The expectation from the transporters is that the enabled environment is actualized. Actualized how? Through monitoring and evaluation and ensuring that the implementation is adhered to, to the letter. It is the benefits that accrue from a business that can ensure the sustainability of this recognition agreement,” he said.
Blake Mulala, the Zambia Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) challenged employers to allow their employees to belong to a labour movement in order for them to get adequate representation.
“By coming to witness this very important document, we are calling for an end to long, long hours of waiting by those who drive goods from one country to the other. These are people who, when they travel, you find they have a broken truck along the way. They are struggling to fix it, communication is cut off, sometimes they come and are attacked,” Mulala emphasized.
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