Civil servants' demo to push for salary review flops

The civil servants’ demonstration to push for the Mnangagwa government to review their salaries has flopped as a handful of demonstrators turned up.

Civil servants representatives under the Apex Council banner ignored the government’s call for dialogue by embarking on a demonstration that failed to take place owing to low numbers.In an interview, Apex Council Chairperson, Mrs. Cecilia Alexander, said the demonstration is meant to make a statement to the government that they need a salary review.“We want to make a statement to the government that we are incapacitated, we need salaries that will take us up to December.

Yesterday the government indicated that they don’t have money, we are failing to provide for our families.  Goods and services are going up on a daily basis but our salaries have remained stagnant,” she said.During the 39th cabinet session, the government noted the concerns raised by the APEX council regarding the loss of the purchasing power.and indicated that the government does not dispute the need to give a cost of living adjustment to its workers.

The government indicated that it is faced with various competing national demands ranging from the importation of grain to improve the food security.and that the budget cycle was coming to an end making it difficult to get additional resources from the current budget.At the post-cabinet briefing on Tuesday, Minister of Public Service, Labour, and Social Welfare, Dr Sekai Nzenza,.

said there is no need for civil servants to take it to the streets this Wednesday considering that the doors for negotiations are open. “I have heard that they want to demonstrate this Wednesday, this is not the route.They must come to the table and discuss their grievances for their own good. We need to keep on negotiating such that a lasting solution will be found,” she said.