CIVIL servants’ representative bodies yesterday snubbed a “crisis meeting” called by Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare minister Prisca Mupfumira to tackle government’s failure to mobilise money for their June salaries — amid fears the swelling anger could trigger unrest.
By XOLISANI NCUBE
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The meeting, which was supposed to be attended by Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor John Mangudya, Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa, officials from the Public Service Commission, failed to take place as the civil servants’ unions boycotted the indaba, accusing the cash-strapped government of being contemptuous in the way it communicated the postponement of the June salaries.
“Everyone came to the meeting except worker’s representatives, whom we understand are boycotting, saying we did not show them respect,” Mupfumira said.
“We understand they are bitter that we did not engage them when the decision to postpone their salaries was made, hence, they feel disrespected.”
Last Friday, Finance permanent secretary Willard Manungo wrote to the Public Service Commission proposing staggered June pay dates for civil servants stretching to mid-July.
According to the proposal, soldiers and air force officers will be paid on June 27, followed by police and prison officers on June 30.
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The education sector will be paid on July 7 followed by health workers and the rest of the civil service on July 14. Pensioners will get their dues on July 19.
The decision, according to Mupfumira, was made without her ministry’s involvement, adding she was also surprised by the development, hence her decision to organise a roundtable meeting to discuss the matter with all stakeholders.
“To be honest, I just saw those proposals on social media and I was concerned as well. It’s unfortunate that the workers think my ministry, as the employer, was aware of the move when, in actual fact, I was in the dark,” she said.
“When I read it in the Press, the permanent secretary in the ministry called the civil servants’ representative, the Apex Council leader, Cecilia Alexander, who had promised to attend today’s meeting, but she did not.
“I have since made it clear to Chinamasa that this idea of them communicating to the media without consulting us is not good.”
Civil servants’ morale has reportedly hit rock bottom, with the majority threatening to down their tools in protest.
Asked what would be the way forward given the standoff, Mupfumira said “we have no option other than to talk”. In his circular to the Public Service Commission, Manungo cited cash flow challenges as having necessitated the proposed shift in pay dates.
Civil servants’ salaries gobble more than 80% of government revenue, which Chinamasa has previously said needed to be halved under proposed reforms aimed at winning financing from the International Monetary Fund.
Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association chief executive Sifiso Ndlovu said the government failed to respect its workers, adding there was no need for any crisis meeting, as it was a man-made crisis.
“We can’t be talking of a crisis when government knew that they are facing revenue challenges. They should have planned better and cut on unnecessary spending. This is disrespecting the workers,” he said.
“Anyway, talk to Alexander on our position as public workers.”
Several attempts to get a comment from Alexander were fruitless, as her mobile phone was off.
