Zim Govt reaffirms commitment to civil servants

The Government has reaffirmed its commitment to improving the salaries and service conditions for civil servants by instituting reforms in the civil service.

Speaking at a one-day ministerial strategic planning retreat in Harare yesterday, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Nicholas Goche said his ministry will work closely with the Civil Service Commission, the Ministry of Finance and staff associations to ensure targets set out in the Zanu-PF election manifesto and other Government blueprints are met.

"Beyond improvement of salaries and conditions of service, we need to also champion the civil service reform, working with the Civil Service Commission," he said.

"Reforms as they are known ought to be ongoing. So, we should continue looking at ways to improve the different services provided to the people by the different arms of Government."

Goche said there was a need to examine the three components of the ministry in the context of the manifesto, the Zimbabwe Programme for Socio-Economic Transformation (ZIMPSET), existing strategic plans and other relevant policy documents to secure quick-win outcomes.

He also said the harmonisation and review of labour laws should be expedited, taking into account new constitutional provisions.

"We ought to align our labour laws to the ratified fundamental International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions and also ensure that all workers, regardless of the sector, enjoy the rights enshrined in that charter.

"That can only take place once there is domestication of the conventions both in law and in practice."
Goche said the realignment of labour laws entails, in some cases, restructuring existing institutions, for instance, those responsible for collective bargaining.

"In the case of the civil service, the current Civil Service Joint Negotiating Council will be revamped, and that will also apply to the employment councils which are chambers for collective bargaining in the private sector," he said.

He took a swipe at some employers for abusing provisions of the Labour Act pertaining to such forums as voluntary by opting to pull out from the arrangements, leaving some sectors without collective bargaining structures.

He also said there was a need for the labour market to maintain order, adding that trade union officials should rein in rogue elements extorting money from workers.

"There are a lot of briefcase trade unions which are now operating in the labour market and causing confusion among workers.

"Admittedly, workers are free to join unions of their own choice, but that should be allowed to happen in an orderly manner without coercion and within the confines of the law."

Turning to social protection, Goche said his ministry was eager to see the eradication of poverty.
Among the identified interventions is the provision of basic services to vulnerable groups.

Deputy Minister Tongai Muzenda, the Permanent Secretary, Mr Lancaster Museka, and other senior Government officials were among those present at the retreat.