News / National
Civil servants gets their salary increments
25 Apr 2014 at 06:44hrs | Views
THE government has fulfilled its pledge to award civil servants' salary increments back-dated to January, Public Service Association president Cecilia Alexander said yesterday.
In an interview after members of the police received their salary increments yesterday, Alexander said the PSA was happy that government had honoured its obligation and agreement reached with its employees in January.
Law enforcement agents were the last to get their salaries yesterday as teachers, soldiers and others received their payments earlier.
"We are very happy the government has honoured its obligation and agreement reached in January. We hope the spirit will prevail throughout the year as we look forward to getting another salary increment before the end of the year," she said.
Alexander said they were also looking forward to the decompression of salary grades before the end of the year, a move that would see the workers being paid according to seniority, qualification and experience.
"The government also agreed to mobilise funds every month for the decompression of salary grades. We hope that will happen before the end of the year. We appreciate that the Minister of Finance Patrick Chinamasa is fulfilling what he said in Parliament. We seem to be heading somewhere unlike in previous years when we did not even receive salary increments," she said.
During the inclusive government days, former Finance Minister Tendai Biti, who is also MDC-T secretary general blocked attempts by the Zanu-PF side of that administration to increase salaries for State employees.
Meanwhile, long winding queues were seen at most banks in Bulawayo yesterday as police officers got their salaries. As early as 7AM, there were long queues at banks like FBC, Cabs and MetBank and Allied Bank.
However, some were not happy that those from the rank of constable to inspector were getting the same pay of about $638.
"I am an inspector and I am getting the same salary as my constable. How can that be? I believe I am supposed to earn more than my junior because of seniority," said a disgruntled officer in Bulawayo.
Government and civil servants representatives agreed on a salary deal in January that will see the lowest paid employee getting three quarters of the Poverty Datum Line (PDL) which they set at $505.
It is estimated that government sourced about $50 million to fulfil the pledge to civil servants.
Another salary review is expected mid-year and the implementation of non-monetary and indigenisation benefits would take centre stage in between.
In an interview after members of the police received their salary increments yesterday, Alexander said the PSA was happy that government had honoured its obligation and agreement reached with its employees in January.
Law enforcement agents were the last to get their salaries yesterday as teachers, soldiers and others received their payments earlier.
"We are very happy the government has honoured its obligation and agreement reached in January. We hope the spirit will prevail throughout the year as we look forward to getting another salary increment before the end of the year," she said.
Alexander said they were also looking forward to the decompression of salary grades before the end of the year, a move that would see the workers being paid according to seniority, qualification and experience.
"The government also agreed to mobilise funds every month for the decompression of salary grades. We hope that will happen before the end of the year. We appreciate that the Minister of Finance Patrick Chinamasa is fulfilling what he said in Parliament. We seem to be heading somewhere unlike in previous years when we did not even receive salary increments," she said.
Meanwhile, long winding queues were seen at most banks in Bulawayo yesterday as police officers got their salaries. As early as 7AM, there were long queues at banks like FBC, Cabs and MetBank and Allied Bank.
However, some were not happy that those from the rank of constable to inspector were getting the same pay of about $638.
"I am an inspector and I am getting the same salary as my constable. How can that be? I believe I am supposed to earn more than my junior because of seniority," said a disgruntled officer in Bulawayo.
Government and civil servants representatives agreed on a salary deal in January that will see the lowest paid employee getting three quarters of the Poverty Datum Line (PDL) which they set at $505.
It is estimated that government sourced about $50 million to fulfil the pledge to civil servants.
Another salary review is expected mid-year and the implementation of non-monetary and indigenisation benefits would take centre stage in between.
Source - chronicle
