267. c) the right at any appropriate time to take part in the activities of a trade union including any activities as or with a view to becoming an officer of the trade union, seeking election or accepting appointment; d) the right to obtain leave of absence from work in the exercise of the rights provided for in paragraph (c ) and the leave applied for shall not be unreasonably withheld by the employer; e) the right not to be prevented, dismissed, penalized, victimized or discriminated against or deterred from exercising the right conferred on the employer under this Act; f) the right of any employee not to be a member of a trade union or be required to relinquish membership; g) the right not to be dismissed, victimized or prejudiced for exercising or for the anticipated exercise of any right recognized by this Act or any other law relating to employment or for participating in any proceedings relating thereto; and h) the right not to do work normally done by an employee who is lawfully on strike or who is locked out, unless such work constitutes an essential service or if on request, the employee voluntarily waives the right specified under this Act.” Essential service is defined as any service relating to the generation, supply or distribution of electricity; any hospital or medical service; any service relating to the supply and distribution of water; any sewerage service; any fire brigade; or any service for the maintenance of safe and sound conditions in a mine. 268. Currently there are 27 trade unions in Zambia and as at 2002, the total membership of these trade unions stood at 230, 503. Application Procedure for Trade Unions 269. Section 5 of the Industrial and Labour Relations (Amendment) Act states that every trade union shall within six months from the date of formation and subject to Section 9, apply to the Labour Commissioner for registration. Section 9 states that an application to register a group of 113