Govt, civil servants salary talks to resume

THE Government has said it is set to meet representatives of civil servants to discuss a possible salary adjustment, further calling on its employees to avoid getting information from unverified sources as that causes unnecessary anxiety.

In an interview with Sunday News yesterday, the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Professor Paul Mavima, said the Government workers’ representatives were in Geneva, Switzerland for the International Labour Conference revealing that the National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC) could only be convened after that gathering.

“There are processes that have to be followed and these processes include the sitting of the National Joint Negotiating Council where such decisions can be made.

We have not yet had any submission from the civil servants’ side and as the Government, we have not yet made any submission also.

Actually, as it stands the workers’ representatives are in Geneva for the International Labour Conference so there is nothing on the board.

We shall meet once they are back from the conference,” said Prof Mavima.

He emphasised the need for all set processes to be completed so that they have a final position on the issue of salaries.

“People should not rely on unverified sources in terms of information.

The way forward will only be communicated after the NJNC by the Government and the workers’ representatives.

Rumours only serve the effect of causing unnecessary anxiety.

“However, as the Government we remain committed to improving the plight of our workers hence the convening of the NJNC where both sides will have their own submissions as we strive to reach common ground,” said Prof Mavima.

The NJNC last set in March where the Government and the civil servants signed a salaries agreement which was a result of further concessions which Government had made to improve the welfare of its workers.

Among some of the concessions that had been agreed upon were a 20 percent review on gross emoluments backdated to 1 January 2022 and to be paid on the February 2022 pay date, continuation of payment of US$75 Covid-19 allowance for civil servants payable in hard currency with effect from 1 January 2022 and the introduction of US$100 salary to be paid in hard currency across the board with effect from 1 March 2022.

Furthermore, there was the introduction of a housing loan guarantee scheme for home ownership for all civil servants, payment of advancement awards, backdated to 2012 and subject to computations, improvement of the administration processes for rebate of duty on motor vehicles imported by civil servants and the payment of school fees for every teaching family for up to three biological children at a maximum of ZWL $20 000 per child per term.

The Government also committed to providing 34 000 housing units as institutional accommodation for teachers within and outside school premises over a period of five years and a special monthly facility to transport teachers in both rural and urban areas on pay date.