News / National
Zimbabwe civil servants strike starts on Monday
23 Jan 2011 at 17:22hrs | Views
Zimbabwe's government workers are set to begin an open-ended strike following the collapse of wage negotiations with the government on Saturday.
The government and the federation of public sector workers this week failed to hammer a deal on new pay packages for the 80,000-plus civil servants.
Unions affiliated with the Apex Council, the main public sector union, have been demanding a 150 percent rise while the cash-strapped government could only afford increments of up to 24 percent.
Zimbabwe government employees earn an average $241 a month and want their remuneration reviewed to match or surpass the poverty datum line currently estimated at $502 per month.
The strike set to begin on Monday could paralyze public services such as hospitals, schools and the processing of government permits.
In recent years, there has been considerable economic hardship in Zimbabwe. The MDC-T minister who is responsible for the ministry said they don't have money to give to workers.
The government and the federation of public sector workers this week failed to hammer a deal on new pay packages for the 80,000-plus civil servants.
Unions affiliated with the Apex Council, the main public sector union, have been demanding a 150 percent rise while the cash-strapped government could only afford increments of up to 24 percent.
The strike set to begin on Monday could paralyze public services such as hospitals, schools and the processing of government permits.
In recent years, there has been considerable economic hardship in Zimbabwe. The MDC-T minister who is responsible for the ministry said they don't have money to give to workers.
Source - Byo24NEWS
