Govt workers push for US dollar allowance conversion to salary

Harare (New Ziana) – A union for government workers said on Monday it would push for the conversion of a US$250 allowance into salary in planned negotiations with the employer.

Civil servants are currently getting an allowance of US$250, while the actual pay is in local currency.

Zimbabwe Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (ZCPSTU) secretary general David Dzatsunga said government workers were pushing for the allowance to be made part of the salary.

Government is currently reviewing both the allowance and pay for civil servants in view of the skyrocketing cost of living in the country.

Dzatsunga said government workers were expecting a meaningful adjustment to both the allowance and salary in the review process underway.

“We have always said the government should show a commitment towards improving the working conditions for its workers. There is a need for an urgent meeting. We hope the government will improve the USD component and that they will make it a salary and that the Zimbabwean dollar component should also be reviewed upwards,” he said.

Asked when the demands would be forwarded to government, Dzatsunga said the union would be meeting with government representatives this week to negotiate under the banner of the National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC).

“We expect to be called to a meeting anytime this week. We are clinging to the fact that we should be meeting this week as NJNC,” he said.

Last week, the union wrote to the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, requesting an urgent meeting to review public sector salaries.

They expressed disappointment over ‘unreasonable’ delays by the government to convene a salary review meeting in light of a wave of price increases for all commodities and services.

New Ziana