Zimbabwe marks time on pay talks as wages shrink to US$10
Civil servants earn US$250 in allowances and a regular wage of ZW$100,000, which is just US$10 if converted using prevailing exchange rates.
Public Service Minister Paul Mavima has dismissed claims of a pending pay rise for civil servants, saying the government is yet to come up with a new pay package for its troubled workforce.
This follows reports the government was in the process of drawing a package of US$150 for the lowest paid worker in what would see employees earn a minimum US$400 when allowances are factored in.
Civil servants earn US$250 in allowances and a regular wage of ZW$100,000, which is just US$10 if converted using prevailing exchange rates.
The public workforce is demanding at least US$840 per month for the lowest paid employee, demands that have been waved away by government which insists this was not feasible given that its primary revenue collection currency was the Zimbabwe dollar.
Speaking to ZimLive Thursday, Mavima said government has not come up with any perks for its restive workforce.
“It’s a matter that we are seized with as a government and sooner rather than later, we are going to be having the meeting between the government and the workers team,” Mavima said.
“You will know as soon as the government has come up with a package for negotiation. That’s the only thing we are waiting for now.
“The NJNC (National Joint Negotiating Council) meeting can take place anytime once we have come up with a package.”
Through their unions, workers wrote to Mavima’s ministry requesting an urgent meeting to discuss a review of their salary.
In a letter addressed to the secretary for public service, the Zimbabwe Confederation of Public Sector Union (ZCPSTU) said it was disappointed by the ‘unreasonable’ delay by government to convene salary review talks.
“ZCPSTU writes to express our utmost disappointment at the unreasonable delay to convene NJNC in spite of the dire necessity for it in the light of the huge deficit between prices and wages which has left workers subsisting on the US$250 allowance.
“We write to request that the employer urgently convene an NJNC to address the cost of living crisis,” said the union.
The union said recent media reports on Mavima promising an imminent pay rise to be tabled during a negotiation meeting had unsettled its camp.
“This has created a legitimate expectation amongst the workers that a solution is near, making our work as unions a lot harder to explain the delay and why the employer would be comfortable with a situation where their workers have no salary to speak of, only an allowance.
“Our legitimate request is that we want an NJNC now.
“We have taken the resolve to visit your office as a delegation of ZCPSTU this Friday 30 June at 1000hrs to help us appreciate the employer’s position regarding the situation of workers.
“We look forward to being hosted by you,” said the workers representative group.
