By Cathy Maulidi:
Truck drivers, who were on strike, have been promised increased pay from K140,000 to K300,000 per month.
This was the resolution made after the drivers engaged in discussions with their employer, namely Transporters Association of Malawi, and Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs Ephraim Chivunde.
According to deputy spokesperson for Professional Truck Drivers Association Steven Tembo, the parties have agreed to have the new salaries effective January next year.
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“It was a very long meeting. We started around 11am and finished around 16:00hrs. We have agreed [on some things] and some of our demands have been met.
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“What we demanded is not what has been given but we are happy because the increase is reasonable. We bargained for K450,000 per month but they have given us K300,000 as take-home salary. As such, we are happy since we will continue engaging [with the authorities],” Tembo said.
Tembo said following the agreement, leaders of the truck drivers will inform the rest of the drivers who abandoned the trucks that were carrying fuel to go back where the vehicles are and drive them to destinations.
Spokesperson for the Transporters Association of Malawi Frank Banda said they have agreed to increase the salaries despite discussions being ongoing.
“We, as transporters, also had our own problems— problems we have been experiencing in this country. We are talking of problems such as loss of business and economic hardships but we have seen that our problems cannot be solved within a day and, as such, we had to reach an agreement.
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“As such, we have agreed that we should continue our discussions next week but, for the meantime, we have managed to reach a win-win agreement by making a temporary increase of their salaries from what they were getting to a minimum of K300,000 and this will be effected in January,” Banda said.
He added that drivers’ allowance will be increased from K150,000 to K200,000 when they travel out of the country.
On his part, Chivunde said the President delegated him to discuss with the parties and resolve the matter.
“They had a meeting with government officials on Tuesday and they failed to agree. As such, today’s meeting was just a follow-up and I’m happy that we have reached an agreement.
“The President asked me to meet both of them to discuss and have the matter resolved. Both parties had their issues but we discussed and came up with solutions. Transporters have managed to raise the salaries and the drivers have promised to call off the strike,” he said.
The truck drivers started the strike on Monday this week and abandoned 1.5 million litres of fuel at Mwanza, Songwe and Dedza borders.
