Late reports

3.9, strike

Zambia: a huge consignment of Zambian copper destined for export was stuck in transit following a three-week strike by unionised employees of the Tanzania-Zambia Railways (Tazara), officials said. Tresphore Chileshe, the president of the Workers Union of Tazara-Zambia (WUTAZ), said some copper was stuck at Kapiri Mposhi, 200km north of Lusaka, because of the slow movement of cargo trains due to the strike. Mr Chileshe told Reuters that 1,400 striking workers had refused to return to work, forcing management officials to drive cargo trains carrying copper to the port of Dar-Es-Salaam in Tanzania. Workers are demanding a pay hike of $208 per month across the board, while management has offered no increase, Mr Chileshe said. Workers in Tanzania had also threatened to join the strike.