By Tafadzwa Chigandiwa
MDC-Alliance President, Nelson Chamisa has challenged the government to pay its workers in foreign currency, pointing out that it is “unfair” to pay civil servants in RTGS while the economy is gradually dollarizing.
Advocate Chamisa took to his Tweeter account to express his disgruntlements.
“NO TO SLAVE WAGES!!!”When the economy has dollarized with fuel,toll gates, passports being charged in US$, it is not only illogical but out rightly cruel to pay workers especially civil service salaries in worthless RTGS!! Pay decent wages! Maintain people’s right to dignity and better life,” he posted on twitter.
Chamisa’s remarks comes at a time when the government is at loggerheads with its workers’ over “poor” salaries and the tension has escalated since 2018.
However, recently the government promised civil servants a 75% rise offer though it was rejected as the latter clearly demanded foreign currency salaries.
Civil servants want to be paid in United States dollars with their salaries ranging from US$520 to US$550 which was the salary they earned back in 2018 before the government introduced local currency.
Meanwhile, government through the National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC) is trying to lure its workers to sign and agree the 75% pay rise but in response the workers have described the effort as a failure.
The workers have blamed and criticized the government for their incapacitation, citing that the responsible authorities have shown no commitment to solve the issue of poor salaries since October 2018.
Whilst, Minister of Public Services, Labour and Social Welfare, Paul Mavima told a local newspaper that there are not afraid to implement a “No Work, No Salary” principle to all the government workers who are allegedly not reporting for duty.
