Prosecutors go on strike?

magistrates.

The State lawyers argue that they hold the same qualifications as magistrates who are now getting twice their salaries.
Magistrates now fall under the Judicial Service Commission and they recently got a salary increment that saw the least paid magistrate getting US$500.
Prosecutors remained under the employ of the Public Service Commission and are still in the region of US$200 to US$300.

Zimbabwe Law Officers Association secretary general, Mr Dereck Charamba, confirmed that the strike is on today.
“Yes we are going on strike tomorrow (today). We have notified everyone since August 25 this year of the strike.
“We sent a paper to the Attorney General, the Ministry, the President’s Office and all other relevant offices informing them of the intention to strike,” said Mr Charamba.

In a statement, ZILOA said the money that the magistrates and support staff under the JSC were getting was coming from the same source as that of the prosecutors and there was no justification for the discrepancies.
“It has emerged that there is a serious salary and benefits discrepancy between the law officers and prosecutors in the AG’s Office and that of their counterparts, the magistrates and law officers who fall under the Judicial Service Commission with whom they hold similar qualifications, experience and do the same work.

“Some support staff with whom these law officers and prosecutors work with are now earning more than them,” reads the statement in part.
ZILOA, according to the statement, is not a political organisation and that it was not fighting the Attorney General or any of the management in the AG’s Office.

“ZILOA is not a political organisation and it does not seek any political mileage nor does it hold any political agenda.
“It is pertinent to point out from the outset that ZILOA is not fighting a war with the AG or with any of his deputies or any managers at the office of the AG…”
ZILOA said no one, in terms of the labour laws, was allowed to threaten any member of the association with dismissal, reprisal and any form of victimisation.