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and advised the civil servants’ unions to resolve their differences and agree on who will represent them in salary negotiations.
The Apex Council, led by Mr David Dzatsunga, last week chose nine substantive negotiators from different civil servants unions and handed over the list of names to the Government for endorsement.
From the selected individuals, four were from Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (Zimta), four from the Public Service Association (PSA) and one from the rest of the other unions.
However, the PSA, led by Mrs Cecilia Alexander, which was not present during the selection of the negotiators, refused to recognise the representatives, saying the Mr Dzatsunga-led Apex Council was not mandated to select negotiators in their absence.
In an interview yesterday, Public Service Deputy Minister Andrew Langa said the ministry had written a letter to the civil servants advising them to be organised and resolve their differences before the Government could endorse the negotiators.
“We received a list of negotiators to represent the Apex Council from the Apex Council led by Mr Dzatsunga last week. Unfortunately the PSA disowned the list of negotiators, saying it was not constitutional. The different groups have not agreed on who should constitute the Apex Council,” said Deputy Minister Langa.
“We have since written a letter to the civil servants advising them to sit down and agree on who will represent them in the Apex Council. We also told the unions to resolve their issues quickly so that we can endorse the unanimously chosen representatives and start salary negotiations.”
Deputy Minister Langa said it was not constitutional for the Public Service Minister Lucia Matibenga to endorse the Apex Council when there were squabbles among the unions.
“It is a policy that the Minister cannot endorse the Apex Council when there are squabbles among the civil servants’ unions.
“I therefore would like to encourage the unions to sit down, resolve their differences and come up with a constitutional Apex Council that will map the way forward on issues concerning civil servants,” said Deputy Minister Langa.
There have been no meaningful negotiations for the past 12 months due to squabbles among the civil servants’ unions.
Finance Minister Tendai Biti had promised civil servants a five percent inflation related salary increment last month, which the workers are still to get.
The lowest civil servant is getting $296 per month and the workers want the lowest salary to be above the Poverty Datum Line, which is hovering around $600.
Online Reporter