Harare (New Ziana) – Stalled salary negotiations between government and civil servants, which the latter had called off over lack of progress, will resume on Wednesday, a cabinet minister has said.
Citing lack of progress, civil Servants had walked away from the talks led by the Ministry of Public Service and Labour and Social Welfare and resolved instead to approach President Emmerson Mnangagwa directly to break the impasse.
But in an interview, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Prof Paul Mavima said the National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC), the umbrella forum for the talks, would resume the negotiations this week.
“Salaries are reviewed on a quarterly basis, so they are meeting on Wednesday as NJNC,” he said.
But pressed to disclose what the government was bringing to the table, Prof Mavima was tight-lipped.
“It’s a negotiation. The government will offer something obviously,” he said.
In the past, civil servants were demanding a salary of around US$540 per month for their lowest paid members, a demand the government has consistently said it could not afford.
Instead, the government is paying all civil servants an allowance of US$200 per month, in addition to their salaries pegged in the local currency depending on grade.
New Ziana
