Anger as civil service promotions frozen

Government has with immediate effect frozen processing of transfers and filling of vacant posts in the civil service, a development that has angered workers who see it as an infringement on their working conditions.

Processing of re-gradings and promotions has also been stopped and Government has attributed the suspensions to budgetary constraints.
In a letter addressed to heads of ministries recently, Public Service Commission secretary Mrs Pretty Sunguro said Government would no longer allow any working conditions adjustments within the civil service because that had financial implications to the commission.

She said the civil service budget from Treasury did not provide for any adjustments.
"Please be advised that at its meeting of February 26, 2013 the Public Service Commission directed that there shall be no more creation of new posts, filling of vacant posts and processing of performance advancements services due to budgetary constraints," she said.

"The resource envelope from Treasury does not have any space to accommodate the highlighted personnel requirements. This implies that there will be no processing of transfers, regradings, promotions, re-appointments and awards of additional increments on the attainment of higher professional qualification with immediate effect."
Mrs Sunguro said anyone wishing to make any changes should do so after consulting with Treasury.

"All heads of ministries are therefore advised to seek Treasury concurrence before submitting any requests with financial implications to the Public Service Commission," she said.

This means that nothing would be given to civil servants who further their education while thousands of Government workers, especially teachers, who wanted to transfer for various reasons have been affected.

Civil servants on Friday described the move by Government as "harsh", arguing they should have been consulted.
Zimbabwe Teachers Association of Zimbabwe chief executive Mr Sifiso Ndlovu said the move indicated that there was nothing in store for civil servants in 2013.

"This is disappointing, demotivating and an indicator that Government did not make provisions for any salary increment or improvement of the working conditions," he said.
"It shows Government is not ready to meet the needs of its workers and considering that the employer had given workers a paltry 5,3 percent increment. These suspensions should  not have been effected.

"Because we are worried, Government should brace for a sad winter because we can not sit and relax while we are being abused."
Mr Ndlovu said a lot of civil servants would remain stuck in their grades because there will be no regrading.
"We have people who have lost out because of the wrong manipulation of the advancement instrument and these have become juniors in terms of salaries and this affects future promotions," he said.

Government awarded civil servants a 5,3 percent inflation-related salary increment beginning January this year, a figure the workers said was way below the Poverty Datum Line.

The lowest paid Government worker is taking home US$296 while the PDL is over US$600.
College Lecturers Association of Zimbabwe president Mr David Dzatsunga said Government had chosen to sacrifice civil servants in its quest to raise money for general elections expected this year.

"This is an attack on the rights of the Government worker who is already disgruntled by the low salary he is getting," he said.
"This is adding insult to injury and worse still the decision negates the spirit of dialogue between the employer and employee."
Mr Dzatsunga said no one should be stopped from transferring.

"What about if someone is dire need of transferring with a genuine reason? This is a tough decision and we are going to seek audience with Government because they can not do what they want with our lives," he said.

Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe secretary general Mr Raymond Majongwe said the move would further affect service delivery in all Government departments.
"This is shocking news and the madness of this inclusive Government is now evident," he said.
"You cannot put a cap on everything. They had done so on our salaries but they are now on our working conditions. In these days of HIV and Aids you can not stop transfers because according to the Public Service Act one has a right to be close to his or her family."

Mr Majongwe added: "We are dealing with a system that does not know what it is doing and we wonder what is happening with those people who promised a lot before they got into Government.
"We are going to regroup and since elections are approaching, some politicians are going to pay for their insensitivity."