By Yohane Symon & Cathy Maulidi:
Malawi Housing Corporation (MHC) members of staff continued their sit-in Wednesday, when they demanded the sacking of some top managers.
As of 17:00 hours Wednesday, corporation management, Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development officials had not made a decision on demands being made by the members of staff.
MHC Union President Benson Jere could not be drawn to comment on the latest development, saying MHC spokesperson Ernestina Lunguzi was better placed to comment in her capacity as the official spokesperson of the corporation.
“What I can say is that there has not been any discussion between employees and our management but what I know is that ministry officials met with [members of] our management and by the time we knocked off, there had been no communication.
“In this regard, the status of the sit-in remains but anything beyond this can be obtained from our spokesperson,” Jere said.
In an interview, Lunguzi said officials from their parent ministry engaged both management and members of staff to discuss matters at hand.
However, Lunguzi said no decision had been made because discussions were ongoing to find a common ground on the issue.
“At the moment, there are other meetings that are still being held and we will make announcements once a decision has been made,” Lunguzi said.
Among other things, the members of staff want MHC to review its salary structure, restructure the pension scheme, reorganise the housing policy targeting members of stuff and improve other general employment conditions.
The industrial action is coming three days after State President Lazarus Chakwera launched the construction of 250,000 houses for the MHC to address the country’s housing challenges.
MHC is currently constructing 500 houses under the initiative.
In another development, a group of interns at the National Registration Bureau (NRB) has threatened to stage a sit-in from today over unresolved grievances.
The interns, who were part of the mop-up registration exercise, are demanding increased field allowances, payment of outstanding arrears and improved working conditions.
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