Govt hikes minimum wage of truck drivers to MK100,000: Truck drivers’ strike called off

Truck drivers have finally agreed to call off the three day strike which has resulted in fuel shortage in the capital Lilongwe following government decision to further adjust minimum wage for protesting truck drivers national wide.

On Monday this week, the truck drivers embarked on national wide strike aiming at forcing the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) led government to adjust their salaries with not less than MK300, 000.

The drivers wanted to be at par with drivers in the SADC region who are in the salary range of MK300, 000 to MK500, 000.

On Tuesday government through Minister of Transport and Public Works Ralph Jooma called for a meeting with the leaders of the affected truck drivers where they agreed to adjust the salaries of the said truck drivers by 100 percent with the lowest paid receiving MK60,000.

But this did not go down well with the truck drivers on the ground that the K60 000 was a general salary for those driving small vehicles and they demanded that the figure be pushed to K100 000.

On Wednesday, the truck drivers continued with their strike forcing the Minister calling for a new round table where they agreed to further amend the salaries.

The government adjusted the minimum wage to Mk100,000 from MK60,000 for ordinary truck drivers and K140 000 for fuel tanker drivers.

Meanwhile the truck drivers have agreed to call off the strike.