WE need a level playing field in the tourism sector with regards to tour operations with our neighbouring Zimbabwean tour operators, says UPND Livingstone Central parliamentary candidate Gracious “D” Mayangwa.
And Mayangwa says some employers in the hospitality industry in Livingstone are overriding the Zambian Constitution and the Industrial Relations and Labour Act by not allowing workers to belong to a union of their choice.
In an interview, Mayangwa said there is a clear imbalance in the operations of tour operators between Zambia and Zimbabwe.
“We have all heard that our colleagues across the river in Zimbabwe do not permit Zambian tour operator vehicles to enter hotels, lodges and national parks, while we here in Zambia do allow Zimbabwean tour operators to operate freely without any hindrances. So we will seek to have bilateral agreements that translate into a well-balanced 50/50 deal in the tourism sector in this regard, because it is disadvantaging our own local tour operators,” Mayangwa said.
He pledged to periodically meet tour operators and workers’ unions in the hospitality industry so as to be abreast with the ever-evolving challenges in the tourism and hospitality sector.
Mayangwa also pledged to increase training opportunities using CDF bursaries.
“We have a lot of our colleagues in the hospitality industry who have worked for years with massive experience but have no formal qualifications for the job they do so well. We shall work and push for such hardworking men and women to attain certificates and diplomas through CDF funding,” he said.
With regards to the Employment Code Act No. 3 of 2019, Mayangwa said once elected he would seek to have a tourism sector conference in Livingstone so as to identify which hotels and lodges are denying workers their rights to belong to a union of their choice.
“The Employment Code Act is clear with regards to workers’ rights to belong to a union of their choice or resign from one and join another union. That decision is not for the employer but for workers. We will also ensure that any worker in the tourism and hospitality sector who works for more than six months on contract, that contract must be in writing,” Mayangwa said.
He added that the conference he will initiate will seek to advance the provisions of the Employment Code Act.
“The Act clearly defines labour relations, contracts and employee rights. It mandates written contracts for continuous employment, effectively abolishing casualisation by restricting short-term and temporary work arrangements. The Act also calls for equal opportunities and inclusion, and also prohibits workplace discrimination based on colour, nationality, sex, religion, and protects persons with disabilities. Working hours and leave: it sets rules for standard working hours, paid annual leave, sick leave and maternity leave,” said Mayangwa.
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