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Oliver Kazunga Acting Business Editor
THE 2014 collective bargaining negotiations for workers in the printing, packaging and newspaper industry have started with the outcome expected soon. At the moment, the lowest paid worker in the printing, packaging and newspaper industry earns $313,78 inclusive of allowances.
An industry source, which is part of the negotiating parties, quashed rumours that workers in the sector had proposed a three percent pay rise.
“Negotiations are still in progress and nothing has so far been agreed on. It is not true that some of the negotiating parties have proposed a three percent pay rise. I am also part of the negotiators and nothing concrete has come out yet,” said the source.
The source said the outcome of the negotiations was expected soon.
The collective bargaining negotiations include the NEC for the printing packaging and newspaper industry, employers in the sector as well as unions such as the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ).
ZUJ secretary-general Foster Dongozi would not be reached for comment as his mobile number was not reachable by the time of going to print on Friday.
The salary negotiations for workers in the printing packaging and newspaper sector come at a time when the government and public service unions last week agreed on a salary deal that would see the lowest paid employee in the civil service earning three quarters of the Poverty Datum Line (PDL) pegged at $505.
The civil servants’ union leaders agreed on the government offer which brings the total package for the lowest paid public service employee in Grade B1 to $375 up from $297 a month.
The adjustments were made on the basic salary only while transport ($66) and housing allowances ($91) remained unchanged.
Under the new salary structure, those in Grade D1 (such as teachers straight out of college) would get $500 up from $446 a month while those in E1 such as deputy directors would get $623.
Meanwhile, the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CZI) has expressed shock following reports of salaries earned by top management at the Premier Medial Aid Society (PSMAS) where the chief executive, Cuthbert Dube was taking home $230,000 a month.
“Considering the general economic situation that Zimbabwe finds itself in and the incessant problems the ordinary consumer who is a member of PSMAS has had in accessing good service and also with regards to core payment that they pay when they visit medical centres and reports that PSMAS was teetering on the blink of a crisis, such kind of salaries are shocking and a slap in the face of PSMAS members,” said CCZ executive director Rosemary Siyachitema in a statement.
She said CCZ on behalf of the many consumers who were PSMAS members, the consumer watchdog want to see a thorough investigation on the issue including other medical aid societies.
“If these salaries are found to be true, it means that therefore members have been contributing just to fill the pockets of top management, rather than be given good service when they need it. Considering what the public has heard about salaries at PSMAS, the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation and local authorities, it seems that this is just the tip of the iceberg.
“On behalf of all struggling consumers, investigations cannot just be made on a piece meal basis; there is a need for a group made of principled people to investigate all these issues. How can it be acceptable for consumers to suffer at the hands of collapsing banks, greedy service providers and we let this be ‘business as usual?’ This is unacceptable,” said Siyachitema.
Online Reporter