Re: shape of things to come - china africa??

I don't think one should generalize from this incident. Not yet.

1. The riot were not supported by the union which is in negitiaton
with mine
management. From the Times of Zambia editorial:

http://allafrica.com/stories/200803050047.html

"WE are perturbed by events at Chambishi Copper Smelter (CCS) on the
Copperbelt where striking workers went on an orgy of destruction
yesterday."

"Quite puzzling is the workers' stance to take the law into their own
hands when
CCS management and the National Union of Mines and Allied Workers
(NUMAW)
are ready to renegotiate the disputed working conditions.

According to CCS public relations officer, George Jambwa, documents
for the union-
management meeting on the improved working conditions are still being
prepared.

We are of the opinion that the workers should have given their union
time to meet
management and discuss their grievances.

Since Monday, a lot of groundwork had been done so that the workers
get better
salaries."

2 Looks like the town Chambishi and the workers there had bad
experience with
foreign company running the mine into the ground. This explains the
militancy of
some of the workers.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200707100721.html?page=2

""Mr Mwanawasa advised Chambishi residents not to be cheated as they
were
seeing what was happening to their town and what incentives were in
offing.

"You people of Chambishi should know better.This mine here was run by
a South
African company which failed. The Chinese came and you have seen what
is
happening. Don't be cheated to lose your employment because your
children will
suffer," said Mr Mwanawasa.

Many people in Chambishi were cheered with the coming of the economic
zone to
Chambishi and they hoped things would move faster for them to start
seeing the
benefits."




On Mar 5, 12:20 pm, "z...@xxxxxxxxxxx" <zinss...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Chinese beaten up in Zambia mines
Chinese mine worker covers his face with a scarf (Archive picture)
Some Chinese mines in Zambia have poor safety records
A Chinese manager at a copper smelter in northern Zambia has been
admitted to hospital after being assaulted by workers demanding better
conditions.

An estimated 500 workers at the Chinese-owned Chambishi mine site
started throwing stones at the managers as they attempted to hold
talks.

Police came in to restore order and rescue the Chinese who had taken
refuge by locking themselves in their offices. Several buildings were
burned in the violence and a protester was injured.

Last year, China's president cancelled a visit to Chambishi fearing
protests.

A blast at the copper mine killed 50 people in 2005.



Holiday rumours

Chambishi Smelter, which is under construction, is part of a huge
multi-million dollar Chinese investment in the area.

The Chinese are not respecting Zambian labour laws
Teddy Chisala
Workers' representative

Miners see 'little reward'

Boyd Chibale in Kitwe says a kitchen for Chinese workers and a guard's
house were set alight and hostel windows smashed in the violence.

Our correspondent says the workers have now gone home, and the Chinese
management are in talks with the unions.

The protest was sparked by rumours that members of the Chinese
management team were about to go on holiday, which workers feared
would delay negotiations to improve their conditions of service.

"The Chinese are not respecting Zambian labour laws," workers'
representative Teddy Chisala told the AFP news agency.

In recent years, China has emerged as one of the biggest buyers of
Zambian copper.

But correspondents say Chinese investment in mining and manufacturing
has not been without controversy - with constant industrial disputes
amidst allegations of poor working conditions.

In elections in 2006, opposition candidate Michael Sata ran on an anti-
China ticket, calling for "Zambia for Zambians".

.

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