Mugabe's govt, civil servants meet over July pay dates

CIVIL Servants representatives and the Government will once again meet tomorrow in Harare to discuss pay dates and modalities for July salaries among other issues as the two parties work to avoid a standoff that came after June salaries were delayed.

The Government delayed paying civil servants their June salaries, citing cash flow constraints, resulting in some of the workers downing tools last week. Apex Council chairperson Mrs Cecilia Alexander confirmed the meeting yesterday.

"We are meeting with our employer on Monday (tomorrow) morning to discuss the pay dates for the month of July. We want to hear what the Government has to say but our position is that July salaries must be paid before the end of the month," she said.

Mrs Alexander said other matters affecting civil servants will also be discussed including allegations that inspectors from the Civil Service Commission were going around schools threatening teachers who participated in the stay away.

She said the representatives will also press for the adjustment of June pay dates for the rest of civil servants and pensioners. Teachers, uniformed forces and health workers have since been paid their June salaries with the rest of civil servants and pensioners expected to be paid on Thursday this week.

"We are going to push for the pay dates for the rest of civil servants to be brought forward in the name of parity. We have also received reports that civil service inspectors have been harassing and intimidating our members. That's another issue that we have added on the agenda. Some of our members have been threatened with dismissal and we are saying no to that. The strike action was a collective decision and no individual should be persecuted. We will be tabling this matter with the Government and make it clear that we want such behaviour to stop," she said.

Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) president Mr Takavafira Zhou said civil servants were going into the meeting to negotiate in good faith.

"We are however, concerned with the lack of time frames in our negotiation. I think it is time we have time frames in our discussions so that we can have logical disputation. Let's give each other time frames to say if such and such a time lapses and we have not agreed then we declare a deadlock to the discussions and we pursue other options," said Mr Zhou.

The Government has said it will regularly meet its workers to discuss pertinent issues to ensure there is harmony among the partners.