News / Local
Government show civil servants middle finger on planned strike
28 Feb 2017 at 01:15hrs | Views
Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Prisca Mupfumira has put a brave face amid planned demonstration by civil servants next week Monday over 2016 bonuses.
Mupfumira said government is unshaken by the threats.
"They can threaten to strike, but as long as they follow laid down procedures there is no problem. We will continue to dialogue with them and we do not tolerate threats" she told state controlled media.
Government want to offer residential stands instead of cash as bonus payments.
But many workers are demanding cash payments.
Some civil servants have since indicated that they prefer stands to cash, which come at zero deposit, as payment for their bonuses.
On Monday, Bulawayo24.com reported that Apex Council members resolved to stage a countrywide demonstration.
"Observing that Government has been shifting dates of meeting willy-nilly without due notice to the unions, disgruntled with Government practice of informalising crucial meetings on important issues such as the 2016 bonuses and collective bargaining, aggrieved by the unsolicited attacks on union leadership and undue interference with our members in contravention of Section 65 of the Constitution, the undersigned Apex Council members hereby serve due notice to Government that civil servants will hold a demonstration on Monday the 6th of March demanding immediate payment of our 2016 bonuses as per tradition and a stop to the public attacks on unions by Government," Apex Council said in a statement.
Mupfumira said government is unshaken by the threats.
"They can threaten to strike, but as long as they follow laid down procedures there is no problem. We will continue to dialogue with them and we do not tolerate threats" she told state controlled media.
Government want to offer residential stands instead of cash as bonus payments.
But many workers are demanding cash payments.
On Monday, Bulawayo24.com reported that Apex Council members resolved to stage a countrywide demonstration.
"Observing that Government has been shifting dates of meeting willy-nilly without due notice to the unions, disgruntled with Government practice of informalising crucial meetings on important issues such as the 2016 bonuses and collective bargaining, aggrieved by the unsolicited attacks on union leadership and undue interference with our members in contravention of Section 65 of the Constitution, the undersigned Apex Council members hereby serve due notice to Government that civil servants will hold a demonstration on Monday the 6th of March demanding immediate payment of our 2016 bonuses as per tradition and a stop to the public attacks on unions by Government," Apex Council said in a statement.
Source - online