CIVIL SERVANTS TO START GETTING BONUSES

THE Government will next week start paying the first batch of civil servants their annual bonus together with their November salaries as it continues to meet its obligations to its workforce.

Since President Mnangagwa came into power in 2017, the Government has never failed to pay its workers the annual bonus on time. Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Professor Paul Mavima told Sunday News in an interview that the first batch will get their money together with the November salaries next week.

Although he did not state who will constitute the first batch, Sunday News understands that soldiers, police and teachers will be the first to receive the money. The other batch will get their bonus in December to ensure that every civil servant is paid the 13th cheque before the Christmas holiday.

“Government is committed to addressing the civil servants remuneration concerns. Teachers have been saying that they are incapacitated but we have raised their salaries by at least 70 percent which will then see them earning between $15 000 and $18 000 from around $3 000. Initially we gave them a 40-percent increment and topped up another 20 percent during the negotiations with the National Joint Negotiation Council (NJNC). We then awarded teachers another 10 percent increment. So now teachers are getting at least $15 000.

“As Government we are also committed to paying civil servants bonuses starting in November. Some of the civil servants will, however, receive it in December but I can assure you that we will pay all the civil servants bonuses before Christmas. This shows our sincerity as Government,” said Prof Mavima.

On the issue of salary review, Prof Mavima said the Government was awaiting the response from Apex Council after it tabled its proposal on civil servants’ salaries in the Tuesday (last week) meeting.

“We had a meeting with the representatives of the civil servants. We proposed new salaries to them. The Apex Council requested for an adjournment of the meeting so that they would update their constituencies of the new developments and salary proposals. We are now awaiting feedback from them then we can implement,” he said.

Apex Council chairperson Mrs Cecelia Alexander said they were still briefing their constituencies of the outcome of the meeting so that they map the way forward.

The Government met civil servants’ representatives on Tuesday where it offered civil servants a 60 percent salary increase which will see the least paid employee getting $13 590 with effect from 1 November 2020. The majority of teachers are expected to get $15 600 after being awarded an additional $517 Covid-19 allowance.

The Government has indicated that it remains committed to the welfare of its employees in more than monetary terms. Since June this year, the Government has been paying its workers US$75 allowances, and pensioners US$30 to cushion them against economic challenges aggravated by Covid-19. The allowance has been extended to next month. Sunday Mail

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