Govt meet civil servants today over salaries

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Paul Mavima says government and civil servants’ representatives will meet on Friday, 07 July to discuss conditions of service for civil servants.

In a statement, Mavima said the Government is committed to improving the welfare of its workers.

“Following my announcement on 25 June 2023 that Government will effect a new remuneration package that includes an increment in the United States dollar component for civil servants to cushion them from the rising cost of living.

“I am pleased to announce that Government and worker representatives will convene the National Joint Negotiating Council meeting on 07 July 2023 to discuss conditions of service for civil servants.

“Government remains committed to improving the welfare of its employees and will continue to engage workers’ representatives in a bid to improve conditions of service for civil servants,” he said.

Last Thursday, the Zimbabwe Confederation of Public Sector Union (ZCPSTU) petitioned Mavima requesting an immediate meeting to review civil servants’ salaries.

In the letter, ZCPSTU expressed displeasure over what it described “unreasonable delays” by their employer to convene a salary review meeting.

ZCPSTU said recent media reports of Government officials promising salary negotiations had raised workers’ hopes, yet the promise has not been honoured.

Meanwhile, this is coming at the time the country is heading for elections.

Over the years, the government has been known of increasing civil servants’ salaries towards elections so as to please them.

President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa recently expressed dismay over what he called bad voting tendencies by police and prison officers.