News / National
Civil servants going on strike tomorrow
18 Jan 2012 at 05:54hrs | Views
CIVIL servants bodies have resolved to go on strike tomorrow after their meeting with Public Service Minister Lucia Matibenga hit a brickwall yesterday.
Last week Minister Matibenga told civil servants' representatives that she would meet them yesterday to communicate the Government's position on their grievances.
Civil servants are demanding a salary of up to $538 from the $253 given to the least paid worker.
However, Minister Matibenga did not turn up for the meeting as she was reportedly caught up in a ministerial meeting.
Speaking in separate interviews yesterday, civil servants' representatives expressed disappointment with the minister's attitude.
The president of the Apex Council, which is the body that represents all civil servants, Ms Tendai Chikowore, said they were disappointed with their employer and were already in the process of organising the strike.
She said civil servants representatives had lost trust in Minister Matibenga.
The Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) secretary-general, Mr Richard Gundani, said they would go ahead with tomorrow's strike.
He said it was high time the Government became serious about the civil servants' issues and stop taking them for granted.
The Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary-general, Mr Raymond Majongwe, said he was happy that other civil servants unions had decided to join in the strike.
Minister Matibenga declined comment on the issue, saying she was not willing to discuss anything on civil servants' salaries.
"I am not willing to discuss anything with anyone anytime soon or whenever," she said, before hanging up her mobile phone.
Last week Minister Matibenga told civil servants' representatives that she would meet them yesterday to communicate the Government's position on their grievances.
Civil servants are demanding a salary of up to $538 from the $253 given to the least paid worker.
However, Minister Matibenga did not turn up for the meeting as she was reportedly caught up in a ministerial meeting.
Speaking in separate interviews yesterday, civil servants' representatives expressed disappointment with the minister's attitude.
The president of the Apex Council, which is the body that represents all civil servants, Ms Tendai Chikowore, said they were disappointed with their employer and were already in the process of organising the strike.
She said civil servants representatives had lost trust in Minister Matibenga.
The Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) secretary-general, Mr Richard Gundani, said they would go ahead with tomorrow's strike.
He said it was high time the Government became serious about the civil servants' issues and stop taking them for granted.
The Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary-general, Mr Raymond Majongwe, said he was happy that other civil servants unions had decided to join in the strike.
Minister Matibenga declined comment on the issue, saying she was not willing to discuss anything on civil servants' salaries.
"I am not willing to discuss anything with anyone anytime soon or whenever," she said, before hanging up her mobile phone.
Source - TC
