Squabbles threatens civil service unions' demonstration against Biti

INTERNAL squabbles over the appointment of a new Apex Council chairperson have hit the civil servants' unions ahead of today's demonstration against Government over pay.

Police yesterday said adequate security would be provided for the workers to carry out a peaceful demonstration.

The workers will petition Finance Minister Tendai Biti before presenting another petition at Parliament Building.

However, the march is likely to be derailed as the unions are divided over the appointment of a new Apex Council leadership.

The Apex Council brings together the Public Service Association, Zimbabwe Teachers Association, Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, Teachers Union of Zimbabwe and the College Lecturers Association of Zimbabwe.

Apex Council chairperson Mrs Tendai Chikowore and PSA president Mrs Cecilia Alexander's terms of office expired this year.

The chairmanship should now go to PSA as the appointment is on a rotational basis.

Mrs Alexander was the Apex Council secretary.

PSA has nominated Mrs Alexander for the post, a development other unions described as "recycling old product".

TUZ chief executive Mr Manuel Nyawo said the Apex Council needed a new crop of leadership to represent the workers at the National Joint Negotiating Council.

"Mrs Alexander has played her part and should leave peacefully. We cannot continue recycling waste products because nothing new is coming from them.

"The chairmanship is theirs but we will only rest after they chose a leader who is not Mrs Alexander. She should just follow in Chikowore's footsteps and surrender to someone else," Mr Nyawo.

Mrs Alexander responded: "It's unfortunate that this is coming up at the wrong time. The education sector should respect what was agreed by the rest of the civil service unions. We are not a union like them but we represent the rest of the public service sector and we do not operate at union level.

"We are making our consultations after which we will present to a full council soon."

She said the PSA was preoccupied with ensuring that the workers got what they deserved.

"How can we fight for leadership when the workers are suffering? To us the house is on fire and we are focusing on the demonstration," she said.

PTUZ secretary general Mr Raymond Majongwe said Apex Council needed a "new focus and thinking".

"She wants to cling on to power and continue leading the Apex Council and this is unacceptable. We need something completely new and she has outlived her term of office," she said.

The new leadership will serve for two years.

Zimta chief executive Mr Sifiso Ndlovu declined to comment saying they were comfortable with anything agreed on by the other unions.

A meeting to reconstitute the Apex Council ended prematurely last Thursday after the union leaders attacked each other verbally.

Meanwhile, Harare police spokesperson Chief Inspector James Sabau said all systems were in place to ensure the workers stage a peaceful demonstration.

"We have met the Apex Council and we have outlined to them what is required of them. We will deploy adequate manpower and business will not be affected," he said.

Civil servants want to stage the demonstration after Government failed to award them a salary increment this year.

In his Mid-Term Fiscal Policy last Wednesday, Minister Biti erased hopes that civil servants would get a salary increment this year.

He said the workers should appreciate that it was impossible to adjust salaries upwards as Government had already missed its revenue targets. The workers are demanding an all-inclusive salary of US$564 for the least paid worker and 15 percent of the basic salary as rural allowance.The least paid Government worker is getting US$296.