Harare, (New Ziana) – Government said on Tuesday it was appreciative of the need for a salary review for its workers but stressed the demands must be “realistic” to ensure they do not impact on progress so far made to achieve economic stability.
Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister, Professor Paul Mavima told a post Cabinet briefing that government and the civil service representatives will soon meet under the auspices of the National Joint Negotiating Council (NJGC) for negotiations.
With high inflation and resultant high cost of living, civil servants are demanding a salary increase amounting to at least US$520 or its equivalent in local currency, a demand government has said it cannot meet.
A meeting on Monday between government representatives and teachers unions, which have declared financial incapacitation to report for duty, ended with the educators expressing frustration at the employers’ approach to the matter.
Mavima said the meeting was not for negotiations but to get an appreciation of the position of teachers regarding their welfare.
“In fact this was not a negotiation but part of government’s effort to fully appreciate the concerns of teachers and further instruct the team from government that is responsible for the negotiations, and this team comes under the National Joint Negotiating Council, and that instruction to the team has been made and soon a meeting of the NJNC will be taking place for further negotiations,” he said.
“We emphasised the fact that our macro-economic situation is improving, we have seen stability, the economy continues to open from the lockdown of the Covid-19 pandemic and we are likely to see more and more improvement on the economic front. Within that context, we see a potential for progressive improvement of the conditions of service for our civil service.”
Mavima added: “It is within this context that we are saying to the civil servants please be realistic, exercise moderation in the manner in which you demand salary increases, we do not want salary increases that will upset the stability that we have so far realised and again further torpedo the economic recovery that we have started to see.”
With the cost of living for a family of five estimated at over ZWL$17 000 at the end of August, the lowest paid teacher is current taking home around ZWL$4 000 exclusive of the US$75 Covid-19 allowance and recently awarded 40 percent cost of living adjustment.
Mavima said the allowances were part of government’s efforts to improve the welfare of its workers.
Teachers have said they will not report for duty until their situation is attended to as a matter of urgency.
New Ziana
