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The National Joint Negotiating Council meeting is expected to bring to the table Government negotiators and Apex Council representatives.
Apex Council is a body that brings together the Public Service Association, Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association, Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe and Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe.
The workers unions last Friday confirmed the meeting, adding that they were expecting nothing short of an increment from Government.
The unions said if Government failed to award them an increment this July, they would embark on another nationwide strike.
PSA president Mrs Cecelia Alexander said on Friday that Government should honour an agreement they made in January this year that salaries would be reviewed this month.
“They are the ones who have written to us requesting for a meeting and we expect nothing short of an increment as per our January agreement.
“We have already written to President Mugabe for him to intervene and it is our hope that something will come up,” she said.
Civil servants’ unions wrote to President Mugabe in May imploring him to intervene and help improve their salaries and working conditions.
The workers were last year forced to approach the President after exhausting all negotiating channels and subsequently got an increment after meeting him. The unions were arguing that Government had failed to convene a meeting under the NJNC, while an appeal to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai yielded nothing.
Zimta chief executive, Mr Sifiso Ndlovu, said they would go into Wednesday’s meeting with an “open mind”.
“It is common knowledge that we have suffered a lot and we expect to see what they bring onto the table. We did not receive an increment in January and we struggled to have generic allowances in February and now it is time for salary adjustments,” he said.
The workers are demanding a minimum salary of $538 per month in line with the poverty datum line. The least paid Government worker earns $296.
Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe chief executive, Mr Manuel Nyawo, said anything outside an increment would “stimulate” workers’ anger.
“We hope they have a new offer that is premised on the request we presented to President Mugabe. If they fail to do that then they are forcing us to take action, which is detrimental to service delivery.
“It is our hope that they will clarify the issue of conflicting statements by Finance Minister Tendai Biti and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on the issue of freezing salaries.
“For now, we will wait for their offer and will map the way forward after the meeting,” he said.
Government chief negotiator Mr Prince Mupazviriho declined to comment on the matter. “I have nothing to say about that issue. The time to speak will come,” he said.
Online Reporter