Massive pay hike for civil servants

Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor
THE Government will increase salaries of civil servants by at least 100 percent effective next month, and in addition, workers will continue to enjoy the US$175 allowance which is paid in hard currency.

Although a National Joint Negotiating Committee meeting held on Friday reached a deadlock after civil servants rejected the 100 percent salary increase offer, the Government has indicated that it will pay the new salaries next month, while waiting for the workers and their employers to agree on a common figure.

Another meeting, officials said, is slated for later this week to further deliberate on salaries and other welfare issues.

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister, Professor Paul Mavima told Sunday News yesterday that it was guaranteed that civil servants will get a 100 percent salary increase next month.

“Yes, most likely there will be another NJNC meeting this week, the Government team will now have to consult to see if there can be any variation to what was initially offered, which is the 100 percent increment. This will all be done in consideration of the capacity of treasury. However, what the Government has offered it is going to implement with effect from 1 July as we realise the importance of the need for us to cushion our workers,” said Prof Mavima.

According to a salary structure after the 100 percent is effected, a B1 worker’s salary will increase from $18 267 to $36 534, a C1 worker’s salary will increase from $19 189 to $38 534, D1 worker will move from $31 814 to $63 628, D3 worker will move from $34 915 to $69 830 while a civil servant on grade E3 will now get $96 430 from $48 215.

Civil servants representative bodies have on the other hand committed themselves to the ongoing talks with the Government, saying they were now awaiting the sitting of the next meeting to hear the possible new offer. Apex council president Mrs Cecilia Alexander said they were awaiting the Government team to conclude their engagements.

“The NJNC meeting failed to reach a consensus after the employer initially brought an offer of 80 percent local currency which would see the lowest paid civil servant move from $18 000 to $32 000 before upping the offer to 100 percent which the workers flatly rejected. The workers had brought an altered demand informed by the obtaining market reality of US$540 for the B1 Grade and alternatively a blended salary. The employer requested for time to consult their principals on the workers’ proposals and to properly interrogate the altered position brought by the workers,” said Mrs Alexander.

Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimra) chief executive officer Dr Sifiso Ndlovu said they were in a season of negotiating and this has to come to pass so that teachers could be able to go on with their duties.

Nonetheless, the Government has been reviewing salaries of its workers to cushion them against run away prices of basic goods and services. The wanton price increases have been castigated by Government, with moves underway to arrest the situation.

Some of the recent increases have been caused by imported inflation, caused by global economic shocks because of the Russia and Ukraine conflict, as some basic goods are sourced from the two countries.