Government given a 48 hour ultimatum

CIVIL servants yesterday gave Government a 48-hour ultimatum to invite them for a meeting over bonuses and salary negotiations or face a strike.

The resolution was made after a three-hour Apex Council meeting in Harare.

Speaking after the meeting, newly elected Apex Council chairman Mr David Dzatsunga said the workers had written to Public Service Minister Lucia Matibenga about their position.

"We have written to the Minister asking her to invite us for a meeting," he said.

"Our constituents need an update on the issue of salaries and working conditions. There is uncertainty over how our bonuses will be paid and we need clarity on the issue. If they fail to engage us, then we will start mobilising for another industrial action, a move that disadvantages those in the education sector because it is examination time."

Government last week said negotiations would only continue after worker representative unions resolved their leadership squabbles.

Two factions are claiming leadership of the Apex Council and they separately approached Government seeking a meeting for salary negotiations and to be apprised on how bonuses would be paid this year.

The Apex Council has been haunted by a leadership dispute after Mr Dzatsunga of the College Lecturers Association of Zimbabwe was elected new chairperson in August.

He took over from Zimta president Mrs Tendai Chikowore.

The Public Service Association, led by Mrs Cecelia Alexander, that represents Government workers not in the education sector, boycotted the polls, saying they were unconstitutional.

Mr Dzatsunga said if Government was having difficulties in endorsing the new Apex Council, it should for the meantime deal with the old leadership.

"We cannot disadvantage ordinary civil servants because of that. For progress sake, the Minister should allow the old committee to negotiate if she is not comfortable with the new setup," he said.

"There is no dispute in the council, but it is only one person who is causing confusion. The time we are in is critical because apart from the salary negotiations, the workers were also expected to come up with a position paper on the pre-budget consultations that informs the 2013 National Budget."

The lowest paid Government worker is getting $296, while the poverty datum line is at $596.

Mrs Chikowore said workers should speak with one voice as they were in "critical times".

"What is important for the meantime are bread and butter issues and for us to achieve our goals we have to speak with one voice. We have to press on with our demands and see that Government does not have an excuse to evade salary negotiations as well as hearing our input in the budget consultations," she said.

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe secretary general Mr Raymond Majongwe said the unions affiliated to the PSA were the ones causing problems.

"That is the reason why we have decided to move on with the elected new leadership," he said.

"The two unions do not have certificates of recognition so they should not cause havoc.

"We expect a response from the Government in 48 hours and no one should frustrate our efforts."

Mrs Alexander said the civil servants should solve their differences on leadership.

"The meetings the other unions are holding are a waste of time. We should find each other as we stand in for the workers," she said.

Civil servants have been struggling to get a "decent" salary increase which tallies with the poverty datum line since the introduction of multiple currencies in 2009.

Finance Minister Tendai Biti recently said the payment of civil servants bonuses was in doubt this year because of lack of money.