News / National
Magistrates' to go on strike from Monday
01 Apr 2011 at 21:24hrs | Views
The Zimbabwe magistrates countrywide have resolved to go on strike with effect from Monday, on Friday the Magistrates' Association of Zimbabwe said the salary negotiations had reached a deadlock.
A strike will cripple justice delivery at a time when there is a huge case backlog at the courts.
The Magistrates' Association said, "We exercised our elastic patience until it snapped and we are completely disappointed and disillusioned.
"The only choice that is left open to us is to withdraw our labour and there will be no magistrates court sitting throughout the country starting Monday until our demands are met."
They said their employer - the Judicial Services Commission - agreed to review their salaries upwards in conformity with the budget they were given by the Finance Minister Tendai Biti.
Biti has allegedly refused to effect the reviews suggested by the employer.
In February magistrates threatened to down tools if salaries and working conditions did not improve.
Magistrates earn between US$206 and US$300 monthly and are demanding a minimum salary of US$600 for trainees.
When they first threatened to strike this year, they proposed a salary of US$1 000 for junior magistrates, US$ 1500 for senior magistrates, US$2 000 for senior provincial magistrates and US$2 500 for regional magistrates.
Senior regional magistrates and deputy chief magistrates want US$3 000 while the chief magistrate's salary should be US$3 300.
A strike will cripple justice delivery at a time when there is a huge case backlog at the courts.
The Magistrates' Association said, "We exercised our elastic patience until it snapped and we are completely disappointed and disillusioned.
"The only choice that is left open to us is to withdraw our labour and there will be no magistrates court sitting throughout the country starting Monday until our demands are met."
They said their employer - the Judicial Services Commission - agreed to review their salaries upwards in conformity with the budget they were given by the Finance Minister Tendai Biti.
In February magistrates threatened to down tools if salaries and working conditions did not improve.
Magistrates earn between US$206 and US$300 monthly and are demanding a minimum salary of US$600 for trainees.
When they first threatened to strike this year, they proposed a salary of US$1 000 for junior magistrates, US$ 1500 for senior magistrates, US$2 000 for senior provincial magistrates and US$2 500 for regional magistrates.
Senior regional magistrates and deputy chief magistrates want US$3 000 while the chief magistrate's salary should be US$3 300.
Source - Byo24News
