Civil servants demand 400% pay hike, strikes loom

Civil servants demand 400% pay hike, strikes loom

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By Staff Reporter

ZIMBABWE'S 180000 public servants want President Robert Mugabe’s government to award them a 400% pay increase to cushion them from a worsening economic crisis.

The Apex Council, which represents public servants, expects to conclude wage talks with the authorities by Friday.

“Members are agitated. If we don’t come to an agreement, they will decide the course of action,” council official Tendai Chikowore said.

As Zimbabwe’s economy sinks deeper into crisis, a wave of discontent is sweeping through the public sector.

A strike by doctors and nurses has crippled major hospitals in Harare and the second largest city, Bulawayo, adding to the woes of the country’s beleaguered minimum-wage earners.

Members of a 17000-strong radical teachers’ union also went on strike last Monday.

The public servants, many of whom are teachers, want the authorities to award a minimum wage of Z$500000 ($2000), up from the current lowest salary of Z$30000.

“Our immediate concern now is to improve salaries and transport and housing allowances of the lowest paid worker in government to levels above the poverty datum line,” Chikowore said.

The council wants the pay rises backdated to January. The latest wage demands come as Zimbabwe battles with the world’s highest inflation rate of more than 1280%, and daily price increases.

The cost of living for an average family of six shot up to more than Z$450000 ($1800) in January, up from about Z$245000 in December, according to latest figures from the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe.

Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono has proposed a wage and price freeze to come into effect next month. Prices of most goods and services are rising rapidly in tandem with foreign currency exchange rates on a flourishing parallel market.

The Zimbabwe dollar, officially pegged at 250 to the US dollar, fetches up to 5000 on the parallel market. Sapa-DPA
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