Zimbabwe Public Servants have accepted the Government’s offer of a 41 per cent pay increase and a bonus whose payment will be staggered from this month to December.
The agreement also states that the Government is committed to a roadmap that will see the lost value of wages being restored after planned meetings to be held in January.
The two parties met under the National Joint Negotiating Council at which the Government also made a commitment to improve Public Servants’ conditions of service.
In a statement, Apex Council, representing the various public sector unions, said progress had been made.
The Apex Council said it had previously rejected several offers by the Government, but saw it prudent to reach common ground following the latest talks.
“As far as Apex Council is concerned this is progress. The fact that we are only seven weeks from the end of the current financial year means Government will cite lack of resources to fulfil the demand for full restoration of the lost value of wages and instead will argue for a gradual process towards the same,” the statement said.
“The Government has agreed to commit to a meeting to put in place a roadmap towards the restoration of the value of wages as at October 2018 in principle, which is one of our key demands.”
The statement said it would be “an absolute disaster for Civil Servants if the Apex Council were to fail to take the current offer by Government and declare a deadlock”.
“The signs are that without an increment and a bonus which will be paid on basic salary and housing and transport allowances, workers will have the bleakest festive period in living memory,” the statement said.
“While even Government acknowledges that this offer is a far cry from the ideal, this was the best decision that could safeguard the best interest of the workers under the circumstances.”
Harare, 18 November 2020
