Overdue civil service wage negotiations set for Monday

By Alex Bell

Representatives from Zimbabwe’s civil service are set to meet with negotiators from the government next week, to hammer out a future wage deal.

The meeting on Monday is set to be the start of a drawn out process, with the government still arguing it does not have the money to make significant increases.

ZANU PF however is under pressure to meet its commitments to increase the wage bill, as this issue was among a host of other promises it made in the run to the elections in July.

The civil service has been up in arms for years over low salaries, with most employees earning no more than $200 a month. This is far below the Poverty Datum Line, which sets the minimum amount for a family in Zimbabwe to live on at over $500.

The civil service has been pushing for increases to be in line with the Poverty Datum Line. SW Radio Africa