Negotiations between the Government and civil servants representatives for a salary adjustment hit a brick wall on Thursday after the latter rejected a 40 per cent increment which would see the lowest-paid worker taking home ZWL$4 800.
The meeting held yesterday was the second National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC) meeting with talks having started last week, for the first time since the first quarter of 2020.
In a statement after the indaba which was held virtually, the Civil Service Apex Council said it was not accepting the offer. The statement read in part:
The National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC) meeting held today was deadlocked after workers rejected the Government offer of 40% of the basic salary and current allowance which would amount to ZWL4800 for the lowest-paid worker, translating to just about USD50
The workers stuck to the demand that whatever percentage increase be based on the October 2018 salary of USD441 for the lowest-paid worker, benchmarked against the foreign currency auction rate.
While Government had initially committed to pay the COVID allowance up to year-end, it has now insisted this is conditional on the signing of a substantive agreement.
The Civil Service Apex Council also revealed that the Government promised to pay the outstanding US$75 COVID-19 allowance on or before the 25th of September 2020.
please deposit our $75 we are sufferring out here please have mercy on us .its better u air it out before pay days so as we do our little budget .if this alowance dont show up on 25 september both my landlord will kick me out and my wife will leave me a poor soul all in the name of being a civil servant .pliz we are asking for ur mercy please