Maseru, Sept. 08 — After reaching a stumbling block on salary increment negotiations, Kopano Ke Matla workers will go for an industrial action on Wednesday this week.
Kopano Ke Matla (KKM) is a joint venture between China’s Yellow River Company, Sinohydro Bureau 3 and South Africa’s Unik Civil Engineering spearheading the construction of a 38 kilometre tunnel being excavated using two state-of-the-art hard-rock shielded Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) from the Polihali dam to Katse dam under Phase II of Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP).
Speaking in an interview, Lesotho Workers Association (LEWA) Secretary General, Mr. Hlalefang Seoaholimo said the workers have resorted to going on strike after their negotiations on salary increase and condition of employment reached a deadlock. He said the massive industrial action is in terms of Section 207(1)(A)(B)(C)(D)(E) of the Labour Act of 2024.
He said the workers had proposed an increment of M13 for workers earning M29 and less per day and an M10 increase for those earning M50 and above daily. He said workers through their association have tried to negotiate with the employer without success.
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