News / National
Token salary increment for Zim civil servants
23 Oct 2013 at 10:48hrs | Views
PUBLIC Service minister Nicholas Goche yesterday said government will effect "a token increment" and bonuses for civil servants before year-end.
Goche said he was still consulting other ministries on the salary hike promised by President Robert Mugabe during the run-up to the July 31 polls.
"Bonus is our commitment that is not under negotiation," Goche said.
This comes amid reports that salary negotiations with government were in limbo due to leadership wrangles rocking the civil servants' umbrella body - the Apex Council.
"Government has committed itself to review salaries for civil servants before year-end and there is no going back on our commitment. There is a lot of consulting taking place at the moment with various ministries and we will advise you as soon as we have reached a position," Goche said.
"We agreed that we will give them a token increment between September and December and review their salaries again in January."
By 2012 civil servants' salaries were gobbling close to $2,6 billion
translating to 70% of the government's total revenue collections.
Civil servants unions are demanding a 100% salary hike for their members which if effected, will take the annual salary bill to $5,2 billion for the 230 000 civil servants.
This is more than the annual 2012-2013 national budget of just below $3,5 billion.
Civil servants have already received their October salaries that did not reflect any increment.
It has, however, emerged that civil servants' negotiations for a decent pay hike have stalled due to infighting among various unions representing government workers.
Goche yesterday said he would not intervene in the fights.
Goche said he was still consulting other ministries on the salary hike promised by President Robert Mugabe during the run-up to the July 31 polls.
"Bonus is our commitment that is not under negotiation," Goche said.
This comes amid reports that salary negotiations with government were in limbo due to leadership wrangles rocking the civil servants' umbrella body - the Apex Council.
"Government has committed itself to review salaries for civil servants before year-end and there is no going back on our commitment. There is a lot of consulting taking place at the moment with various ministries and we will advise you as soon as we have reached a position," Goche said.
"We agreed that we will give them a token increment between September and December and review their salaries again in January."
translating to 70% of the government's total revenue collections.
Civil servants unions are demanding a 100% salary hike for their members which if effected, will take the annual salary bill to $5,2 billion for the 230 000 civil servants.
This is more than the annual 2012-2013 national budget of just below $3,5 billion.
Civil servants have already received their October salaries that did not reflect any increment.
It has, however, emerged that civil servants' negotiations for a decent pay hike have stalled due to infighting among various unions representing government workers.
Goche yesterday said he would not intervene in the fights.
Source - newsday
