The Zambia Union of Nurses Organization (ZUNO) is disappointed with demands by Members of Parliament (MPs) to have their emoluments increased in the midst of a National wage freeze.
ZUNO president Thom Yung’ana says it is shocking that the MPs are demanding a pay rise when they are the ones who had unanimously voted for a National wage freeze in the 2014 National budget.
In a statement released to QFM News in Lusaka today, Mr. Yung’ana says Zambia should embrace the culture of distributing National resources equitably and not creating artificial social strata that were subjected to different codes of conduct.
He says all Zambians should live by the same rules and laws because the decisions made by parliament should be for the benefit of every National regardless of their social status.
Mr. Yung’ana states that the MPs voted for the 2014 National budget that imposed a wage freeze for two years and moratorium on net recruitment for civil servants for one year, and that they should be seen to live by that collective decision.
He adds that memories are still fresh on how over five hundred Nurses, Midwives and other Paramedical Personnel were dismissed last year for demanding for increased salaries and better conditions of service, thus it would be unfair to have the MPs emoluments increased.
Mr. Yung’ana says the issue of wage increments should be approached courteously as it has the potential of raising unnecessary conflicts within the country if seen that some sections of society were benefitting more from the national cake than the rest.
He has since called on all well meaning Zambians and civil organizations to vehemently oppose this ill-intended motion by the MPs stating that yielding to their demands would defeat the purpose of the collective moral principles of good governance.