By Kingsley Kaswende in Harare, Zimbabwe
CIVIL servants in Zimbabwe yesterday began a potentially crippling strike until the inclusive government pays them a minimum salary of US $630 per month.
Teachers, doctors, nurses and other civil servants told the fragile unity government at a rally on Friday afternoon that they would down tools and would stay away from work indefinitely beginning yesterday.
However, the government had offered them a minimum salary of US$137 and a top-up proposal of US$248 backdated to January, which led to the breakdown of the negotiations with the unions.
Public service minister Professor Eliphas Mukonoweshuro said at the weekend that last-minute talks with labour unions had failed to stave off the strike.
He said the government's new offer had been rejected by workers because it was "insufficient".
"The new offer has been unveiled and I am informed by officers from my ministry that the staff associations said it is not sufficient. Consultations are still going on and when we finish, we will call for another meeting," he said.
Prof Mukonoweshuro had told unions that the extra allocation of US$4 million for all civil servants that he had offered last Tuesday was still on the table.
He said the money would be used to give state employees US$8 and US$7 as housing and transport allowances respectively.
House rentals in high density suburbs average US $80 while a return trip into town costs US$2 per day.
A check around some schools, hospitals and government ministries yesterday morning found workers gathered outside their work premises, chatting.
Addressing a rally that brought together unions representing different arms of the civil service in Harare, Zimbabwe Teachers' Association president Tendai Chikowore said the unions had given the government sufficient time to address their grievances.
“The issue of remuneration has been neglected by the employer for many years. Government has been taking us for granted and now we are saying enough is enough,” she said.
Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Raymond Majongwe said the workers had been patient long enough, adding that they had decided to unite against their employer.
"We have been neglected for so long and we have become a soft target for alternative saving options in government spending. Time has come for us to unite against our employer," Majongwe said.
Civil servants said the government spent more on foreign travels than on the welfare of the workers.
Last year, the government spent US $20 million on overseas trips, a far cry from the US $4 million it offered civil servants.
Currently, civil servants earn between US$100 and US $500.
No comments:
Post a Comment