adminThis was after civil servants had given Government a position paper on their demands, chief among them, to increase the salary of the least paid worker to US$538 up from US$253.
Government chief negotiator Mr Prince Mupazviriho yesterday said the date would only be set after the completion of consultations.
“Something is being done in terms of salary negotiations,” said Mr Mupazviriho.
“What is important is not the date of the meeting but what we are discussing. We are still consulting and once we finalise our consultations a date would be set.”
However, Apex Council chairperson Mrs Tendai Chikowore said they expected Government to meet them by tomorrow.
“I talked to the representative of Government (Mr Mupazviriho) this morning and the story was still that of consultations. It is not a surprise that there might be no movement since December 16. We are giving them until this Friday and after that the workers will decide on what action to take,” she said.
Unions have already threatened to strike if Government fails to meet them over salaries for this year.
Zimbabwe Teachers Association chief executive Mr Sifiso Ndlovu said Government was forcing them to take “drastic” action which would be detrimental to service delivery.
He said by misjudging its workers, Government was exposing itself to thorough public scrutiny.
“They (Government) should take heed of the warning as schools are only a few weeks from opening. Government should not underestimate the anger that is latent in the civil service,” he said.
“Their insincerity and insensitivity just shows that all the workshops we have been holding are not genuine.”
Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe chief executive Mr Manuel Nyawo said this was the first time civil servants had failed to get a salary increment in January.
“It’s one promise after the other. Someone affords to pay US$15 000 to 211 people but those who matter in a Government are useless to him and they should continue wallowing in poverty,” he said.
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe secretary general Mr Raymond Majongwe added: “Our situation has worsened since the inception of the Inclusive Government. We are mere victims of political fighting between MDC-T and Zanu-PF.
“But if MPs united and won their battle, nothing is going to stop us from doing so. Our grievances are always last minute issues and this time we will fight to the end.”
Since the presentation of the 2012 National Budget, Government has not said anything about civil servants’ salaries. Civil servants have been at loggerheads with the Government over salaries since the introduction
of the multi-currency system in 2009.
Finance Minister Tendai Biti has always argued that Government does not generate enough money to warrant a salary increment for its workers.
Online Reporter