Civil Servants Request A Salaries' Indaba With Govt
Civil servants’ representatives have submitted a request to the Government for a National Joint Negotiating Committee (NJNC) meeting.
NJNC comprises Government and public service representatives under the banner of the Zimbabwe Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions.
It is a platform where the two parties meet to deliberate on civil servants’ conditions of service.
Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Professor Paul Mavima said:
I am aware that civil servants have requested a meeting of the NJNC.
It will be arranged at the earliest convenience for both parties and in line with the Government’s commitment to always review and improve the conditions of service of civil servants.
Public Service Commission (PSC) Secretary, Jonathan Wutawunashe, said the Government understands the challenges civil servants are facing. Said Wutawunashe:
In the normal rhythm of things, civil servants are responding to inflationary pressures and are seeking an improvement in their salaries.
I think we need to commend the civil servants because they are continuing to come to work taking advantage of some cushioning measures taken by the employer.
Last week, Wutawunashe announced that the Government had released $2.6 billion for tuition fees for teachers’ children. He said:
Details of 103 556 children of some 52 171 teachers from all the 10 provinces have so far been identified by schools as eligible for this benefit.
In February this year, as a way of improving the welfare of teachers and as part of a host of other incentives extended to civil servants, the Government made an undertaking to pay school fees for up to three biological children per teaching family, paying up to $20 000 per child per term. These payments would be made directly to schools.
Given the sheer scale of the exercise, Government is aware that there may be schools which are yet to furnish the requisite details but has taken the decision to make disbursements in respect of schoolchildren whose details have been verified and submitted by schools while awaiting the completion of the exercise in respect of those whose details may still be outstanding.
For that reason, parents whose children’s details have been provided will shortly receive the benefit in respect of Term 1, which will be followed by the disbursement by the Government of fees due for Term 2.
