The Sunday Mail
Sunday Mail Reporter
GOVERNMENT has called a meeting with representatives of its employees to map the way forward on working conditions in light of price increases that have eroded incomes.
The special indaba comes after last week’s meeting between the two parties ended in deadlock.
Civil servants, through their representative body the Apex Council, want a salary increase of at least five percent.
Government employees are also contesting their employer’s decision to exclude paying a bonus on allowances.
In a statement, Public Service Commission Secretary Ambassador Jonathan Wutawunashe said: “A meeting of the National Negotiating Council (NJNC) was held on 6 December 2018. The NJNC is the formal negotiating platform between Government and its workers to discuss matters related to conditions of service and welfare of members of the civil service,” said Ambassador Wutawunashe.
“The forum has assisted in creating industrial harmony in the civil service and Government places great importance to this process. The workers presented a set of matters for discussion and Government recognises these and commits itself to consultations on an ongoing basis to address them.
“Aware of the challenges that the workers are facing as a result of a number of price distortions arising from and bordering on criminal activities, Government has set in motion a process to convene a special meeting with the worker representatives.
“This platform will formalise ongoing arrangements to engage the workers in order to address the issues that they have raised in an integrated and comprehensive manner.
“Accordingly, the Government will shortly send letters of invitation to the Worker representatives to this special meeting as a matter of urgency.”
Apex Council president Mrs Cecilia Alexander called for an upward review of salaries.
“Prices have increased, however, our salaries have remained the same. We want our salaries adjusted in line with the current prices.
“We also want Government to look at the five percent gap that is between teachers and the rest of civil servants. When we got a 17,5 percent salary increase, others were given a 22,5 percent increase. We want that gap to be bridged.
“As you can see the budget was silent about the welfare of the civil servants and we would want the Government to come up with mechanism that will cushion civil servants from the high prices.”
The 2019 National Budget proposes a raft of measures to reduce the public sector wage bill.
