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Civil servants seek pay rise
By Lloyd Gumbo 11/01/2010
Government and representatives of civil servants meet in Harare tomorrow under the National Joint Negotiating Council to discuss civil servants’ salaries.
The meeting seeks to strike common ground between Government and its workers who have threatened to down tools if their salaries are not reviewed upwards.
Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association president Mrs Tendai Chikowore is the team leader on the workers’ side while the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service, Mrs Constance Chigwamba, is the acting team leader on the Government side in the council.
Unions representing civil servants are demanding between US$500 and US$600 as a minimum salary starting this month. Government has indicated low revenue from tax collections constraints it from increasing salaries.
Finance Minister Tendai Biti allocated US$600 million of the US$1,4 billion National Budget to cover the civil service salary bill.
Unions have threatened industrial action if their salaries are not adjusted upwards in line with the Poverty Datum Line, which they say stands at around US$500.
However, union members claim their leaders have not consulted them on the proposed increases, a charge Mrs Chikowore has vehemently denied.
"We are meeting with our employer on Tuesday to try to come up with a common ground. We have our concerns, which we believe should be addressed because we have been neglected for too long," Mrs Chikowore said.
She could, however, not give figures saying doing so would jeopardise the negotiations.
"There has been too much speculation in the newspapers on the salaries we are negotiating for. We have already sent our proposal document to Government, which we expect to be our reference point, when we start the negotiations," she said.
Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Unions secretary-general Mr Ephraim Tsvaringe said unions should have consulted their members ahead of tomorrow’s meeting of the National Joint Negotiating Council.
"The meeting tomorrow does not represent our people’s interests because we were not consulted by those who claim to be representing us. Nevertheless, we expect the meeting to reach a consensus on salaries which are in tandem with the Poverty Datum Line. Anything short of that would not be welcomed by workers," he said.
Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions president Mr Lovemore Matombo echoed similar sentiments.
"They should have consulted groups that represent specific interests like teachers, medical practitioners and other civil servants.
"If they are going to the meeting representing themselves and not the workers, then the workers’ concerns are not likely to be met," he said.
But Mrs Chikowore said they had consulted those who recognised the existence of the Apex Council and were willing to contribute.
"We are going there to get Government feedback on the proposals that we sent on December 10 last year. Unions will
make a final decision on whether to accept or reject Government’s offer," said Mrs Chikowore.
Mr Matombo also said Government should review the civil servants’ salaries because there had been some growth in the economy.
"Everyone knows that there has been growth in the manufacturing industry from around 10 percent early last year to around 30 percent last month.
"No Government employee will buy into that assertion that Government has no money when we have seen growth in the past months yet salaries remained constant," Mr Matombo said.
Mr Raymond Majongwe, secretary-general of the Progressive Teachers’ Union’ said the meeting was being held despite the fact that Minister Biti had already made an announcement on salaries.
"The meeting could go ahead but decisions have already been made on salaries when Finance Minister (Mr Biti) presented the National Budget last month," he said.
Mr Majongwe said their members would be reporting for duty tomorrow when schools open while waiting for Government to confirm a salary increment.
Civil servants are currently earning an average of US$155 per month. |
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