Civil servants appoints Alexander, Nyawo to represent them in salary negotiations

CIVIL servants' unions have appointed Public Service Association (PSA) president Cecelia Alexander and Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe chief executive Manuel Nyawo to represent them in salary negotiations the Public Service ministry.

This follows a five-day ultimatum given to the warring parties by Public Service minister Nicholas Goche to resolve their leadership wrangles and appoint team leaders who would meet with him to discuss on salaries.

The new team is scheduled to meet Goche on Monday. The divisions had stalled negotiations between the government and its employees over salary increments.

Although six out of 11 unions attended the meeting yesterday, Zimbabwe Teachers' Association chief executive Sifiso Ndlovu said there had to go ahead with the appointments as other union leaders boycotted the meeting.

"From the look of it, it seems there are people who want to destroy the Apex Council for personal reasons," said Ndlovu.

"We agreed that we would convene a meeting today (yesterday) after the minister's ultimatum and the meeting was at 10am, but some did not come.

"So the six unions convened the meeting and we decided to uphold the decision made on October 22 of the two team leaders, Alexander and Nyawo."

Ndlovu said they could not wait for people who he said were not "committed and not serious" in solving the civil servants' issues.

"We think they are sponsored to destroy the future of the workers. How do we move forward if you do not come for meetings we agreed to have?" said Ndlovu.