Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to examine the working conditions in the mining sector in relation to Mchenga and Kaziwiziwi coal mines in Rumphi district in Malawi. The paper reports that the working conditions in the mining sector are generally poor and that the workers’ organizations and their activities in the mining sector are effective tools for the improved working conditions. The paper however, argues that, to a greater extent, it is over expectations compounded by lack of knowledge on part of (amongst the) the employees and/or the community members around the mining workplaces regarding aspects of legal and non-legal liabilities of the workplace employers towards the implementation of labour practices and of corporate social responsibility interventions that complicates the sufferings of most mining sector employees in Malawi. It is thus important to encourage the establishment of workers’ organizations at a workplace and for stakeholders such as Civil Society Organizations to be conclusive in their complementary roles to government when it comes to the implementation of advocacy activities to the communities (employees) around the mining workplaces especially in the event that such activities’ implications have potential effects to cause some forms of conflicts between the mining workplace employers and their employees including the surrounding community members thereby likely to complicate workers’ sufferings as a result of some unresolved consequences.
Highlights
IntroductionFrom April 2013 to 2014, Church and Society Programme (CSP) implemented a project known as “Advocacy Campaign for an Inclusive and Accountable Extractive Industry” valued at approximately US$ 27,500
Towards the end of the year 2012, Tilitonse, a grant-making facility for Malawian based Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) in conjunction with the United Kingdom department for International Development (DFID) together with the Royal Norwegian Embassy and Irish Aid launched a thematic call for project proposals to undertake activities in the mining sector in Malawi
The non employee community members who do not have any right to demand for improved working conditions on behalf of their employed relatives can only participate in demands for the mining companies’ CSR interventions which should be reasonable and realistic demands considering that the country does not yet have the prescribed mandatory standards as CSR interventions by the mining companies in the existing mining sector legislative frameworks
Summary
From April 2013 to 2014, CSP implemented a project known as “Advocacy Campaign for an Inclusive and Accountable Extractive Industry” valued at approximately US$ 27,500. This project targeted Mchenga Coal Mines (MCM) Company. According to the programme Deputy director, Jacob Nkhambule, the inspiration to run such a project was based on their 2007 assessment which had revealed a lack of tangible corporate social responsibility interventions coupled with poor compensation and low benefits for the communities (including employees) from the mining sector activities. Whereas CCJP implemented a US$35,000 valued project known as “Mining Industry Advocacy Capacity Building” project that targeted Kaziwiziwi coal mining. According to CCJP father Denis Chitete, their project aims were to ensure that poor people at Kaziwiziwi know their rights, demand them and defend them in cases of violations in addition to ensuring the need to protect the natural resources so that they benefit Malawians most
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