Zimbabwe Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (ZCPSTU), the umbrella union for civil servants, met with government representatives on September 11 under the National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC).
The NJNC serves as a collaborative platform that brings together government officials and public sector unions, providing a forum to explore viable solutions to address the concerns of state workers.
In a statement issued the day after the meeting, the ZCPSTU announced that the parties would reconvene this week. Reads the statement:
<blockquote>
The NJNC reconvened yesterday to discuss the cost of living (COLA) for civil servants. After lengthy deliberations on the envelope tabled by the employer, the parties agreed to adjourn to give time for further consultation.
The NJNC agreed to meet in the coming week to receive feedback on the consultations and for further deliberations.
</blockquote>
Zimbabwe’s civil servants receive a basic salary of US$320, supplemented by less than ZWG$2,000.
Over the years, civil servants have been demanding a return to their pre-October 2018 salary of US$540, and more recently, their demands have increased to US$840.
However, the government has consistently maintained that it cannot meet these salary demands, implementing only marginal increments that still fall significantly short of covering the basic needs of civil servants.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

Civil servants in Zimbabwe met with the government to talk about their pay. The government and the unions will meet again to discuss COLA for civil servants. Civil servants get a low salary and want it increased to meet their basic needs. The government says it can't meet the demands for higher salaries. The two sides will keep talking to try to find a solution. The workers are hoping for better pay to cover their expenses. The process is ongoing, and both sides are trying to find a fair agreement.

COLA: Government, Civil Servants Set To Meet Again

The National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC) will meet to review civil servants’ conditions before the end of March, a cabinet minister has said.
In an interview with State media in Zvishavane on Sunday, the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Paul Mavima said the government is committed to reviewing civil servants’ conditions of service. Mavima said:
<blockquote>
The National Joint Negotiating Council meeting to review the civil servant’s conditions of service will be held this quarter as the Government reaffirms its commitment to review their remuneration package.
The NJNC will meet and iron out pressing issues. We are letting everyone know that we are going to have that meeting for reviews but people have to know that whatever comes out of there will depend on what is available to the nation.
</blockquote>
He urged civil servants to be moderate in their demands.
Mavima thanked civil servants, particularly teachers, for not going on strike when schools reopened last week, saying the government understands their stance on salaries. He said:
<blockquote>
The first school term started very smoothly. Even though civil servants are saying there should be a review of their salaries, it is not an antagonistic stance that they are taking and it is understandable.
But remember in 2022, President Mnangagwa did a lot for civil servants culminating in an additional US$200 that was given to every civil servant.
At the moment we are happy with civil servants, with no strikes but they are just urging the Government to review their conditions of service.
</blockquote>
In 2022, the government awarded civil servants a 20 percent salary increment across the board backdated to 1 January.
But civil servants have consistently demanded that the government restores their pre-October 2018 salaries of US$540. | <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/njnc-to-review-civil-servants-conditions/">Chronicle</a>

NJNC To Review Civil Servant’s Conditions Of Service - Mavima

The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) has scoffed at the US$25 increment to public sector workers’ allowances by the government, describing it as too little.
On Tuesday, the government and public sector unions met under the National Joint Negotiating Forum where the new offer was tabled. 
Posting on Twitter on Tuesday, PTUZ said the paltry increment will lead to industrial action by teachers. It said:
<blockquote>
The govt, as usual, thinks it’s all a joke. An increment of only $25 when service providers have already wiped out more than that, really?
It would seem that govt is pushing teachers towards real action. It’s a dog’s breakfast.
</blockquote>
In a letter updating public sector workers on Tuesday on the outcome of the NJNC, Apex Council chairperson Cecelia Alexander said the wage increase is with effect from 1 September 2022. She wrote:
<blockquote>
The employer offered an increase of 25 % on the USD100 to make USD125 and maintained the USD75 Covid allowances to make the total USD package USD200 with effect from the 1st of September 2022.
The workers acknowledged the increase but chose to wait for specific modalities on how this is going to be implemented.
The employer did not offer or table any increase on the ZWL salary and the workers demanded that this be also reviewed without fail.
In the end, the government side asked for time out to consult.
</blockquote>

Teachers Union Say US$25 Pay Rise Is "A Joke"

The government has increased USD allowances for civil servants by 25% from the current US$175 to US$200 with effect from 1 September 2022. However, there has been no increment in civil servants’ Zimbabwe dollar salaries.
The government and civil servants representatives met on Tuesday, 20 September 2022 under the National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC) to deliberate on the latter’s salaries and conditions of service.
In a statement issued after the NJNCmeeting, the chairperson of the Zimbabwe Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (ZCPSTU), Cecilia Alexander, said the parties deliberated on the cost of living adjustment (COLA), Sector Specific Allowances and Performance Awards, and the 2022 Bonus. Reads the statement:
<blockquote>
To All Public Sector Workers
RE: NJNC Update The NJNC meeting today deliberated on the following conditions of service matters:
<ul>
<li>COLA</li>
<li>Sector Specific Allowances and Performance Awards</li>
<li>2022 Bonus</li>
</ul>
<h2>COLA</h2>
The employer offered an increase of 25% on the USD100 to make it 125USD and maintained the USD75 Covid allowance to make the total USD package USD 200 with effect from the 1st of September 2022.
The workers acknowledged the increase but chose to wait for specific modalities on how this is going to be implemented.
The employer did not offer or table any increase on the ZWL salary and the workers demanded that this be also reviewed without fail. In the end, the government side asked for time out to consult. Sector
<h2>Specific Allowances</h2>
The workers advised the employer to resuscitate already agreed sector-specific allowances so as to bring all government workers to the same level to which the government committed to speedily work on the implementation modalities.
On the school fees assistance for teachers, the government indicated that they had faced challenges again with payment modalities, but it was acknowledged by both parties that most of the bottlenecks have now been addressed.
The workers then felt that the ZWL20 000 per child was no longer enough given the latest school fees increase and that government should consider indexing the figure to USD50 value.
<h2>2022 Bonus</h2>
Government committed to paying the 2022 bonus in USD but did not provide any figures and again asked for time to consult on the payment details and the total offer thereof.
<h2>Adjournment</h2>
The parties agreed to adjourn the meeting to allow for the government side to consult with their principals and to reconvene in the shortest time possible, possibly within the week to finalise on the aforementioned outstanding issues.
</blockquote>

Govt Increases USD Allowances For Civil Servants

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, <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/civil-servants-quit-national-joint-negotiating-council/">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.</a>
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:
<blockquote>
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.
</blockquote>
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.

Govt In Bid To Revive National Joint Negotiating Council

Deputy Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Edgar Moyo on Friday said Government is aware of the challenges being faced by teachers and is working to improve their welfare.
Moyo made the remarks while addressing delegates during commemorations of the World Teachers’ Day. He said:
<blockquote>Government is aware of the challenges that teachers are facing and is working hard to improve teacher welfare issues.
We need to think beyond the COVID-19 and work to build greater resilience on our education system so we can respond quickly and effectively to these and other crises.
This means protecting education financing, investing in high-quality teacher workforce as well as improving the welfare of the teachers.</blockquote>
Early this week, Education Minister Cain Mathema denied that there was chaos in schools, saying as far as Government was concerned, teachers were reporting for duty.
Meanwhile, Government deferred a National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC) meeting to discuss the welfare of civil servants to Monday.
Public Service Commission (PSC) secretary Jonathan Wutawunashe said in a statement on Friday:
<blockquote>The meeting was meant to finalise issues a cost of living adjustment [COLA] for the last quarter of the year.
Following a request from the workers to postpone the initially agreed meeting, both parties decided to reschedule the meeting to Monday the 2nd November 2020.</blockquote>
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2020/10/govt-admits-crisis-in-education-sector/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NewsDay</a></h4>

Civil Servants' COLA Talks Set For 2 November

Finance and Economic Development Minister <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Mthuli_Ncube" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Mthuli Ncube</a> has ruled out a significant salary increment for civil servants.
Ncube said the government has more pressing issues that it has to attend to and will only be able to give its workers cushioning allowances periodically. Said Ncube:
<blockquote>We are not going to agree on a once-off agreement, but we will follow last year’s trend, where we were cushioning them whenever there is inflation.
We will (have) multiple negotiations as we did when we gave them cushioning allowance in May, salary increment and another cushion in July.
We do have some urgent issues like climate change, food security and energy and also we are mobilising resources for <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Command_Agriculture_2016" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Command Agriculture</a>. We are also seized with issuing licences to independent energy suppliers to produce energy.</blockquote>
The Civil Service Apex Council met government representatives on Friday last week, and again on Monday this week for negotiations on salary adjustments. The meeting ended with no agreement between the two sides.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/2020/01/we-can-only-afford-allowances-mthuli/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NewsDay</a></h4>

Mthuli Ncube: No Salary Hike For Civil Servants, Only Cushioning Allowances

<a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Raymond_Majongwe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Raymond Majongwe</a>, secretary-general of the <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Progressive_Teachers_Union_of_Zimbabwe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ)</a>, said teachers will not report for duty when schools open later this month.
Speaking to NewZimbabwe.com on Friday, Majongwe asserted that teachers cannot be expected to go back to work when they have no money for transport and their children cannot go to school. He said:
<blockquote>I do not see any school opening because they (teachers) have garnered enough courage and zeal to say ’hapana kusiri kudzingwa basa’ (being paid low wages is just as good as dismissal).
The teachers will only report back to work when their issues have been addressed when issues around remuneration and others have been dealt with.</blockquote>
Teachers’ salaries have been eroded by runaway inflation while schools fees have skyrocketed.
The government made several piecemeal adjustments to teachers’ salaries last year disguised as Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) and cushioning allowances. However, the increments were considered inconsequential.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/teachers-to-launch-national-strike-over-poor-salaries-unions/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NewZimbabwe.com</a></h4>

Teachers Cannot Afford To Return To Work For First Term - Majongwe

Doctors, nurses and other health workers on Wednesday received the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) following a Health Service Bipartite Negotiating Panel (HSBNP) held on 28 August.
The COLA or cushioning allowance as it is sometimes called is understood to be 60 per cent of health workers’ August salaries which the doctors rejected out of hand as insignificant.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Ministry of Health and Child Care said:
<blockquote>HEALTH WORKERS PAID COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT (COLA) 
The Health Service Bipartite Negotiating Panel (HSBNP) at its meeting held on the 28th of August 2019, agreed on a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) to be paid to members of the Health Service with effect from 1 August 2019.
The Government availed resources for the implementation of the agreed Cost of Living Adjustment. The Ministry of Health and Child Care confirms that health workers have been paid COLA through the normal salary disbursement channels today the 4th of September 2019.</blockquote>

Health Workers Receive Cushioning Allowance

The Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) has rejected the 60% pay hike offered by the government, saying the amount is insufficient to meet the current cost of living.
<img alt="Image" decoding="async" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EC5xKTlW4AAik2a?format=jpg&amp;name=medium"/>

Doctors Reject Govt's 60% Cost Of Living Adjustment

The government will soon announce a salary increment for its workers, a cabinet minister has revealed.
Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Sekai Nzenza told State media that Finance and Economic Development Minister Mthuli Ncube will announce a cost of living adjustment for civil servants once he is done with the figures. Said Nzenza:
<blockquote>At this stage, the Minister of Finance is looking at it (salary increase). He would be making an announcement in the next few days.
I can’t give you the exact date because he has to do the figures. But he would be looking at that in light of the current situation.
We know it’s not easy; this is why we are looking at the cost of living adjustment.
You’ll remember that from January to March we gave them cushioning allowance and then there was the cost of living adjustment.
But we realised that the economy is not doing good and people are hurting because of prices and we have now once again been talking to the Minister of Finance and he is seriously looking at it and at the same time the President is very concerned.</blockquote>
The government awarded its workers a cost of living adjustment in April of around RTGS$29.
The “paltry” figure has since been rendered meaningless by runaway inflation which now hovers close to 100 per cent year-on-year for the month of May.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/salary-hike-for-civil-servants/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Chronicle</a></h4>

Govt To Announce Salary Hike For Civil Servants - Nzenza

Teachers Unions <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2019/03/21/rural-teachers-reject-cola-say-its-disgusting/">are seething with anger</a> over the government’s decision to award civil servants a $400 million salary raise or cost of living adjustment (COLA) across the board.
The salary adjustments translate to about $120 per individual according to the Unions. In an interview with NewZimbabwe.com, Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Raymond Majongwe said:
<blockquote>Our reaction is very simple, the government is taking us for granted, they are slow in reacting, they are failing to understand the basics that their workers must be motivated to produce better services.
There can never be good service delivery where 95 per cent of the workers are disgruntled.
As far as we are concerned, without giving us a 100 per cent salary increment, there is nothing that they are talking about, it is just a joke. They are just talking and not tackling our problems.
Our members will decide on what action to take. But I can never rule out anything during the second term. These people (government) are not taking their workers seriously. The workers are angry.</blockquote>
The COLA was announced by Sekai Nzenza and Mthuli Ncube, the Ministers of Public service and Finance respectively. The salary adjustment is with effect from April 1, 2019.
<h4>Related:</h4>
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<h4><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2019/04/04/civil-servants-salaries-increased/">Civil Servants Salaries Increased</a></h4>
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<h4><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2019/04/03/govt-announces-400-million-cost-of-living-adjustment-for-civil-servants/">Govt Announces $400 Million Cost Of Living Adjustment For Civil Servants</a></h4>
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<h4><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2019/03/20/govt-civil-service-agree-on-rtgs400-cost-of-living-adjustment/">UPDATED: Govt, Civil Service Agree On RTGS$400 Million Cost Of Living Adjustment</a></h4>
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<h4>More:<a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/anger-as-awards-gvt-civil-servants-rtgs120-salary-adjustment/"> NewZimbabwe.com</a></h4>

Teachers Furious Over 'Paltry' Salary Increase

ZBC News Online reports that the government has announced a $400 million cost of living adjustment (COLA) effective 1 April 2019. The COLA will match the salaries of government workers to the poverty datum line.
In addition, the government has announced non-monetary benefits for all civil servants which include the resumption of medical aid services and improvement in the pension system for all government workers.
The announcement was made the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Dr Sekai Nzenza who was in the company of the Minister of Finance and Economic development Professor Mthuli Ncube and Chairperson of the Public Service Commission Dr Vincent Hungwe.
Related:
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<h4><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2019/03/21/rural-teachers-reject-cola-say-its-disgusting/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Rural Teachers Reject COLA, Say It’s Disgusting</a></h4>
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<h4><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2019/03/20/govt-civil-service-agree-on-rtgs400-cost-of-living-adjustment/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">UPDATED: Govt, Civil Service Agree On RTGS$400 Million Cost Of Living Adjustment</a></h4>
</li>
</ul>
<h4>More: <a href="http://www.zbc.co.zw/just-in-govt-announces-400m-cost-of-living-adjustment-for-civil-servants/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">ZBC News Online</a></h4>

Govt Announces $400 Million Cost Of Living Adjustment For Civil Servants

The government and the civil service have agreed on RTGS $400 million cost of living adjustment (COLA) across the board effective April 1, 2019. Sector-specific negotiations to continue on non-monetary benefits and allowances.
This will translate into a salary increment of $129 across the board effective April 1. The lowest-paid worker in Grade B1 will now be getting $570, up from $441.
An agreement reached after a Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) meeting held in Harare reads:
<blockquote>The parties took note of the challenges being faced by members of the Public Service and agreed to implement a COLA of $400 million to be effected across the board from April 1 to December 31, 2019.
In addition to the COLA, the parties also agreed to continue their engagement in order to address the following; (i) to employ additional Public Service buses to augment the current fleet, (ii) to implement Statutory Instrument 52 of 2019 that exempts the Public Service from paying vehicle import duty within the set monetary thresholds, (iii) to undertake the agreed study tours to facilitate the establishment of Public Service Collective Bargaining Council by June 2019 and (iv) for Government to provide appropriate medical services to civil servants.</blockquote>
Meanwhile, Apex Council chairperson Mrs Cecelia Alexander said:
<blockquote>Though we have our demands which we want to be met, at least this is a sign of fruitful dialogue which has culminated into this agreement.
As Apex Council we will continue negotiating with the employer and this agreement is subject to review in June. We have agreed that developments in the economy, whether positive or negative, will see the parties sitting on the table to dialogue.</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/govt-workers-finally-seal-salary-deal/">The Herald</a>

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