The government has reportedly decided to revive the National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC) after civil servants threatened to go on strike on 26 September 2022.
The NJNC brought together the government and unions representing civil servants for negotiations on the latter’s salaries and conditions of service.
In July this year, the Federation of Zimbabwe Educators Union (FOZEU) advised the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Paul Mavima, that they had quit the NJNC.
Meanwhile, in a letter dated 19 September 2022 and addressed to the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (ZCPSTU), Cecilia Alexander, one S Tarupuwa, writing on behalf of the NJNC chairman, invited civil servants’ leaders to a meeting this Tuesday.
The letter, which was copied to Mavima and the Permanent Secretary for Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, read in part:
The Chairperson of the National Joint Negotiation Council (NJNC) invites members to an NJNC meeting to be held on 20 September 2022 at 1130hrs in the 9th Floor Boardroom, Kaguvi Building.
The matters on the agenda included the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) and the 2023 Annual Bonuses.
The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) said instead of trying to revive NJNC, the government should simply fulfil the September salary review pledge or face the wrath of the workers on 26 September.