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Harare Bureau
THE Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) says it will continue negotiating with Government on a meaningful Cost of Living Adjustment (Cola) while their members are at work regardless of threats to withdraw labour by some civil servants over the same issue.
This comes in the wake of continued withdrawal of labour by doctors, citing incapacitation and the loss of value of their earnings because of inflation.
In an interview, yesterday, ZINA president Mr Enock Dongo said while their members’ salaries remained low, they have negotiated for other non-monetary benefits of a long term nature.
“Yes, we are yet to get a meaningful adjustment from the employer but as ZINA, we have also managed to negotiate for other incentives which are valuable to the profession as a whole and have long-term benefits,” said Mr Dongo.
He said the non-monetary benefits include finalisation of pension fund for nurses working in mission hospitals, changing of the ministerial structure to also consider nurses for top posts, housing and motor vehicle loans, among other issues.
“Through the negotiating forum, ZINA successfully lobbied for consideration of nurses for managerial positions in the Ministry’s structure. For a long time, only doctors would be considered for these posts.
“We also lobbied for absorption of Mission Hospital nurses into the Government pension fund, an issue that has also been on the cards for a long time,” said Mr Dongo.
He said Government has also committed to speed up work towards revising nursing staff establishments, which are currently way less than the actual burden of care.
Mr Dongo said following a meeting that ZINA held with President Mnangagwa earlier in the year, Government also committed to work on other incentives such as housing schemes and vehicle loans for nurses.
“ZINA therefore values the continued engagements which have reaped fruits to these and other non-monetary benefits.
“We however, note with concern that the COLA remains low ever since we started negotiations but we will continue pushing for a meaningful offer,” said Mr Dongo.
Government recently awarded health workers at least 100 percent adjustments to health specific allowances, which were paid with effect from October 1.
Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said Government was also working on another adjustment for civil servants to cushion them from continued price hikes.
Online Reporter