via No money for $78 civil service pay hike 12/02/2014 by Staff Reporter NewZimbabwe
THE cash-strapped government last month arm-twisted civil servants into agreeing a minimum pay hike of $78 but the State workers have now learnt that there is no money to fund the adjustment.
President Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF party promised to nearly double salaries for the 230,000-strong civil service in the run-up to last July’s elections but backtracked sharply after realising the parlous state of government finances once in office.
Still, the deal represented some progress for the workers who had unsuccessfully battled the former coalition government for better working conditions.
But, with the new deal increasing the government’s wage bill to US$155 million per month, Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa has been forced to plead for time saying the earliest he could implement the increase would be in April.
“He (Chinamasa) was baring his soul that he has no resources at the moment to pay the salaries,” said Zimbabwe Teachers Association chief executive Sifiso Ndlovu.
“He said everyone would have received his money backdated to January by April. He said budget overruns from last year were putting pressure on the fiscus and he was trying to work some solutions that do not result in retrenchments or failure to pay current salaries.”
Labour minister Nicholas Goche would not comment on the issue, telling the Herald to speak to Chinamasa who was, however, not reachable.
Ndlovu said morale was low, adding workers were losing confidence in the government.
“This is a serious disappointment and for him (Minister Chinamasa) to come on the eleventh hour, failing to consult us will bring despondency in the industry,” he said.
“Our confidence has been destroyed, as much as we understood some of the points he raised. He said during the first quarter of the year there are always cash flow problems.”
Workers were demanding US$543 as the minimum pay and 30 percent of basic salary as rural allowance, but his remained unchanged at five percent.
In his budget statement, Chinamasa said the government wage bill was consuming an unsustainable 75 percent of revenue. He said this needed to be reduced to 30 percent by 2018.
COMMENTS
Then gumbo and munuru r happy. Takakuremekedzai tisati toziva zvamuri. Imbwa dzevanhu. Imbofambai musina tuma bodyguards twenyu muone zvinoitika
“… but backtracked sharply after realising the parlous state of government finances once in office.” Once in office? Had they never been in government prior to 7/31/13? They knew all along that they were lying to the people just to get votes. Mugabe and ZANU-PF have been doing it for 34 years.
Who is surprised?? Wait. The coward idle warvet nonsence also want more dosh. Remember 1997?????? Time for the zimdollars again. Kikikikikiki!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
oh well…no money for more badly fitting wigs, high heels that groan under the weight of the wearer and we may be spared the constant “hitting” on the head when the wig wearer has an itchy scalp. But that means that the time honoured Zim tradition of dragging feet, as Zimbabweans have never learnt to pick their feet up, will increase as they have to wear more Chinese slops! Pathetic place!
Tell them to remove ghost workers and the and all unnecessary positions like border gezis and all this will be a thing of the past.
Bhora mugedhi…
Proudly brought to you by zanupf.Please vote zanupf in 2018.You deserve what you vote for.
People keep saying you deserve what you vote for yet it is clear that there was massive rigging in the last election. and without meaning to clash with anyone I personally love that pathetic place. I know that people have suffered under this government but I think some times we should tone down the insults on our fellow country men E.G.…”no money for more badly fitting wigs, high heels that groan under the weight of the wearer and we may be spared the constant “hitting” on the head when the wig wearer has an itchy scalp.” What do peoples wigs got to do with this bad Government?
Noticeable that there is only real panic in the land when government hasn’t got any money, and to heck with thousands of businesses trying to pay their own staff. Says something about priorities. Cutting 75% of the civil service and retaining the few who actually know what they are doing and who they are supposed to ‘serve’ might be a good idea.
When will the civil service flunkies ever learn that all the promises in the world, every year, from Mugabe and his cronies never amount to anything. You don’t really matter and he knows that he can walk all over you. What sort of ‘gluttons for punishment’ are these people??