Mon, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000
CIVIL Servant and Allied Workers Union of Zambia (CSAWUZ) president David Kayobe says the inconsistencies by the Treasury on the pay day for civil servants has caused a lot of sufferings to government workers who are sometimes subjected to eviction from houses by their landlords for not paying rentals on time.
He said inconsistencies in the payment of salaries makes budgeting difficult for civil servants who are sometimes forced to get credits at exorbitant interest rates to pay for their rentals. He said Government should dialogue with civil servants when salaries were delayed so that the workers could adjust their budgeting.
And Mr Kayobe has disclosed that his Union was ready to start salary negotiations for 2017/2018 bargaining year.
Mr Kayobe said the increase in fuel prices would negatively affect the lives of civil servants in that prices of commodities were likely to go up beyond the reach for most civil servants.
Mr Kayobe disclosed that the circular by Government that stopped the payment of lunch allowances to civil servants when they were working within the district would be one of the contentious issues the Union would be tabling during the negotiating. He said the increase in fuel pump prices has come at the right time just before the start of negotiations, adding that this would give the union some negotiation powers as they would be able cite it as one of the basis for salary increment.
He said as far as the union was concerned, the 2015/2016 Collective Agreement with Government ended on 30th September and that the Union was set to start bargaining for new salaries for its members.
He said Finance Minister Felix Mutati has been telling the nation to start preparing for hard times ahead of the impending IMF bailout but that as a Union, they would not accept conditions of service that would make life difficult for civil servants, adding that the workers have sacrificed a lot in the past.
Mr Kayobe further said CSAWUZ was not aware of any Government intention to impose a wage freeze on civil servants, saying his Union would wait for official communication from Government before making their stance known.
