Salary Talks: Civil Servants Plead with Government

Owen Kaura

Government workers in Zimbabwe say they are in the dark regarding when salary negotiations with their employer will resume. The two parties last met over a month ago and failed to agree on the way forward.

Government proposed a 75% staggered salary increment which the employees rejected, insisting on US$540 or its equivalent in Zimbabwean Dollars.

The workers say they are still incapacitated and are reporting for duty twice a week on Monday and Tuesday.

Zimbabwe Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (ZCPSTU) spokesperson Gibson Mushangu said:

“It’s now been over a month. They had promised to consult as a team of negotiators from Government so that we can have our third meeting but hitherto we haven’t engaged the Government or had any meeting with it.

“We are worried that our salaries are being seriously eroded. We are not sure whether the government is prepared to meet us again or it is pleased with the status quo,” he added.

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Professor Paul Mavima was not immediately available for comment as his mobile phone was not being answered.