Civil servants not going on full-scale strike yet

CIVIL servants on Monday responded to reports that they were going to embark on a full-scale strike saying they were yet to make a decision on whether to go on strike or not.
They said they were still waiting for the outcome of the petition they handed to the Government recently.
The Apex Council chairperson, Mrs Tendai Chikowore, said the decision to go on strike would be determined by the outcome of the petition.
"We have not yet met to make such a decision. We submitted a petition and we are yet to make a follow-up on it for us to move ahead. I was surprised to read in the Press today that our colleagues want to go on strike barely a week after we made a decision that we would first wait for the petition," said Mrs Chikowore.
"I am in Mutare right now and am not yet sure of the outcome of today's meeting in Harare. Can you phone those who attended?"
Apex Council is an umbrella body of civil servants and includes organisations such as the Public Service Association, Zimbabwe Teachers Association, Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, and College Lecturers Association of Zimbabwe and will soon encompass the Zimbabwe Law Officers Association.
Yesterday's meeting by the Apex Council's technical committee in Harare reportedly resolved that the labour body holds elections for its leadership on 8 August as a permanent measure to end the internal power struggles.
The civil servants' representatives said they resolved to end internal squabbles in the mother body before embarking on a strike to push for a salary increase.
Zimta chief executive officer Mr Sifiso Ndlovu said the meeting was not meant to plan for the strike.
"The meeting was not meant to discuss the strike. We met as the technical committee today to discuss issues of appointment of the Apex Council chairperson which have caused power wrangles.
"It was resolved that members of the union should not fight for positions. We agreed that we should amend some sections of the constitution and then have elections," said Mr Ndlovu.
He said the committee, which consists of chief executive officers and general secretaries from respective affiliate bodies, agreed to amend parts of the constitution to pave way for elections.
"On Friday we will start circulating copies of the amended constitution and the committee's position was that whoever occupies a position should not be by appointment but be elected. We will have elections on 8 August before people go for holidays."
Mr Ndlovu said the squabbles would not affect the salary negotiations.
"The wrangle over positions started recently and as long as we have a strong technical committee, I do not think this will affect our salary negotiations. The goal is to have each organisation represented in Apex," said Mr Ndlovu.
The wrangle reportedly started when other affiliate organisations complained that Zimta and PSA had a monopoly in Apex. PTUZ secretary-general Mr Raymond Majongwe concurred with Mr Ndlovu and said his union was committed to the future of the Apex Council. "Contrary to reports in the Press, today's meeting was not meant to discuss the strike but the future of Apex. We agreed that elections will be held on 8 August. Our first port of call was to amend the constitution, which we are already doing. Next week we will have elections.
"Apex Council chairmanship is not parcelled out like manna from heaven and each and every member should be elected," said Mr Majongwe.
PSA president Mrs Cecilia Alexander said the meeting was meant to look at issues that were left outstanding in the previous meeting.
"I did not attend the meeting because it was meant for members of the technical committee only who are CEOs and secretaries general who will then report back to the main body," she said.Early this month, civil servants gave the Government a two-week ultimatum to come up with a new salary offer that meets their pay adjustment expectations after the National Joint Negotiating Committee meeting yielded no results on the issue.
Government workers are reportedly demanding an all-inclusive salary of $564 for the least paid worker and 15 percent of the basic salary as rural allowance.
The least paid Government worker is getting $296 per month.
In his Mid-Term Fiscal Policy recently, Minister Biti erased hopes that civil servants would get a salary increase this year thereby fuelling unrest among Government workers.