GOVERNMENT yesterday paid nurses their June salaries minus $2 000 from around $6 000 in May while other civil servants received salaries with a difference ranging from about $490 going upwards.
The Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) president Enock Dongo said the June salary has incapacitated nurses from going to work at a time when the country is fighting the coronavirus.
“There was a slash in terms of the total package and after inquiring with Government we were told that this is due to arrears that were being paid. It was spread over four months from January. Now the four months elapsed and we are now back to reality and we always knew that would happen,” said Mr Dongo.
“How are we going to budget with $3 500 as we are the people going to work while everyone else is on lockdown and we are not being provided with transport.”
He said nurses would be better off with US$ salaries.
“Whatever Government will offer us in local currency will be inadequate as prices are going up on a daily basis.
“We are in the middle of the Covid-19 crisis and we do not want to withdraw our labour as that would be a recipe for disaster,” he said.
Government and civil servants are set for an urgent meeting to discuss the latter’s grievances arising from the high cost of living.
This comes amid concerns that while prices of basic commodities are constantly increasing in the country, salaries remain stagnant.
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