Chronicle Editor
Vusumuzi Dube, Senior Municipal Reporter
THE Government has turned down a request by workers of Bulawayo City Council to get Covid-19 risk allowances, with the local authority also indicating that it had not budgeted for the expense.
In October last year, council workers through their representatives, the Zimbabwe Urban Councils Workers Union (Bulawayo branch) demanded that the local authority awards them a Covid-19 risk allowance, noting that it was not fair that only their health counterparts were receiving the allowance.
Council workers in the health services department have been getting the Covid-19 risk allowances from Treasury after they were identified as being part of the frontline workers in the country’s fight to contain the pandemic. BCC management had, however, noted that the local authority had not budgeted for the payment of the allowances hence since the pandemic was a national disaster, the request was forwarded to the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development through the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.
In response, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works has written to the local authority advising council to solve the matter internally as the funding available was meant for frontline workers only.
“We acknowledge receipt of your letter dated 16 November 2020. Taking cognisant of the request in the meantime, council is being advised to resolve the issue internally as the funding from the Ministry of Health and Child Care is strictly meant for frontline workers whom in this case have already benefited. If any further funding is established for further assistance, you would be advised,” reads the letter from the ministry.
In response, according to a council report, the local authority has since shelved the idea noting that it also had no budgetary provisions to fund the request.
“Consequently, since council had no budgetary provisions for this unexpected expense the union leadership would be advised accordingly. Hence the matter was considered closed following consideration by the management committee,” reads the report.
Meanwhile, the local authority has resolved to censure all employees that participated in a five-day strike that took place in January after staffers had declared incapacitation. According to a council confidential report, BCC management noted that the job action was illegal and further the situation was worsened by the fact that some staffers who were gazetted essential services withdrew services, which was against labour laws.
“In as much as the union leadership might have been aggrieved by the outcome at the Permanent Negotiating Committee forum, an instigation to influence fellow workers to withdraw labour unlawfully should not be countenanced. In the circumstances, it was suggested that all staff who were absent from duty without leave be dealt with in terms of the staff conditions of services as a precautionary measure.
Alternatively, the union leadership could be formally censured and cautioned against the recurrence of such conduct as a future deterrent,” reads the report.
Council management revealed that since the job action received wide publicity in the media, corrective action had to be taken against the perpetrators of the illegal strike in order to register council’s displeasure to the alleged deviant behaviour by the staff.
Online Reporter