admin
Apex council chairperson and Zimta president Mrs Tendai Chikowore said they had resolved to appeal to the “higher offices of Government” to break the salary impasse.
Apex council brings together the Public Service Association, Zimta, Teachers Union of Zimbabwe and the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe.
“Workers’ side negotiators will be presenting themselves to the Minister of Public Service on Wednesday, January 12 at 14 00hrs,” she said. “We have no option. The Apex Council submitted its demands to Government on December 16, 2011, which should have been met by January 2012, but to this day Government has not responded.”
Ms Matibenga said Apex council could no longer afford the waiting game, considering that Government had been given sufficient time to respond to its demands. She said Minister Matibenga should present to them a Government position paper on Wednesday “without further delay”.
The workers want the lowest Government worker to get US$538 up from US$253.
Teachers, who are receiving incentives from parents, say they want them scrapped for a salary increment. They argue that the incentives are not paid constantly, with some of them going for months without receiving the full amount.
ALSO SEE
Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe chief executive Mr Manuel Nyawo said they had lost faith in Government negotiators.
“They are not taking us seriously hence our decision to storm her (Matibenga) offices. If we fail to meet her we will be left with no option but to down tools. This time we will use a different strategy,” he said. “If the cake is small, we should share it the way they did with the MPs.”
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe secretary general Mr Raymond Majongwe said downing tools was the only way Government could “hear” their plight. “We are tired of the same trick being used by Government,” he said. “They should come out in the open and tell us what is there for us. If there is nothing, then it means we cannot go to work on empty stomachs.”
Government last week agreed to meet the workers by yesterday, but no meeting took place during the week.
Apart from a salary increment, the civil servants want Government to pay them according to qualifications and experience.
Government, civil servants argue, should revitalise the civil service pension scheme and award those in lower grades transport and housing allowances.
The workers have been at loggerheads with the Government over salaries since the introduction of the multi-currency system in 2009.
The Government has always argued that it does not generate enough money to warrant a salary increment. Finance Minister Tendai Biti did not provide for a salary increase for the Government workers in the 2012 national budget.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said there will be a salary increment for civil servants this year only if proceeds from diamond sales exceed US$600 million.
Online Reporter