REPRESENTATIVES of the civil servants – the Apex council – on Tuesday said demonstrations set for Wednesday will go ahead as scheduled, adding that government had failed to honour demands set by its employees for improved working conditions.
Speaking to Zim Morning Post, David Dzatsunga – secretary-general of the Apex forum – said government had shut the door on them by refusing to listen to their demands.
“We have reached a deadlock with the government after we failed to come up with an outcome at the negotiating table. We will, therefore, proceed with the demonstration as planned. Civil servants will tomorrow march to show the seriousness of the matter at hand,” Dzatsunga said.
He further accused government of negotiating in bad faith, having failed to listen to the demands of the workers who are struggling to put food on their table.
Part of the demands made by civil servants includes getting their salaries pegged at the United States dollar interbank rate.
Civil servants are also demanding that their eleventh cheque be paid in November to avoid hyper-inflationary effects on the package.
“The government has maintained that it will pay the bonuses separately, with the first batch being paid in November and others in December and January, something we will not accept at all because the interbank rate is changing everyday,” Dzatsunga said.
Meanwhile, a Press statement issued by the Apex council also accused government of negotiating in bad faith, remaining unmoved over all other issues except on bonus, which it maintained would be spread over three months, beginning in November.
According to Dzatsunga, all the 16 affiliate members represented in the council were expected to participate in the march scheduled for 11am, adding that they had obtained clearance for the demonstration from the police.
Robert Masarure of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe also encouraged all government employees to attend the demonstration.