100% bonus for civil servants 13th cheque to be based on gross income Govt further reviews health sector allowances
GOVERNMENT has resolved to pay civil servants full bonuses for 2019 pegged on gross income, a departure from last year when the 13th cheque was based on pensionable salaries only.
In an interview yesterday, Apex Council president Mrs Cecilia Alexander said all civil servants were this year going to receive their bonuses inclusive of allowances.
Last year civil servants expressed anger after they were paid a bonus which only reflected the basic salary without allowances being factored into the payments.
“We applaud Government for reverting to the old system. During our last meeting which was held on the 14th of October, Government made a commitment to pay civil servants full bonuses calculated on their total income inclusive of allowances such as housing and transport allowances. This is a great step that shows that engagement has been fruitful,” said Mrs Alexander.
Government has been negotiating with civil servants through their umbrella body, the Joint Negotiation Council, for a review of conditions of service after their salaries were eroded by inflation.
The Apex Council says the 76 percent cost of living adjustment (Cola) negotiated last month has been wiped off by inflation.
The 100 percent bonus will therefore come in handy.
Mrs Alexander said while they welcomed the bonus, Government had not yet availed pay dates for the 13th cheque adding that talks are still underway to decide on a salary increment as incomes had been eroded.
She said if bonuses are paid on the current salaries, that would not alleviate civil servants’ plight as the cost of living had incapacitated most of them.
“While we applaud Government for reverting to the old system, calculating bonuses on 100 percent of total package will still have not addressed the problem at hand because salaries have been eroded and prices are soaring, especially as we are approaching the festive season. We therefore urge civil servants to keep their ears to the ground as we are awaiting favourable outcomes from engagements with Government. Government has not yet come back to us since our last engagement,” Mrs Alexander said.
Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) chief executive officer Mr Sifiso Ndlovu yesterday said Government has done well to revert to the old GOVERNMENT has reviewed health sector specific allowances by a further 40 percent from the initial 60 percent with effect from 1 October 2019.
This latest revision will see junior doctors pocketing $2 400 for on-call allowances up from $1 200 initially offered.
Nurses will also get $720 for either night duty, standby or callout allowances up from the previous $360. Nurse managers will also be getting $1 000 up from $500.
These allowances are in addition to other health sector specific allowances that include locum rates, initial uniform grant, initial uniform allowance, out of residence allowance and psychiatric allowances, which were reviewed last Friday, each by at least 100 percent.
Although the Health Services Board (HSB) could not immediately confirm the new take home salary for health workers, chairperson Dr Paulinus Sikhosana yesterday said this latest review brings the new adjustment on health specific allowances to 100 percent.
“Parties to the Health Services Bipartite Negotiating Panel (HSBNP) met on 18 October 2019 to continue the unfinished negotiations on the review of the Health Sector Specific Allowances following the signing of collective bargaining agreement (CBA) number 3 of 2019 on 4 October
system of paying full bonuses.
He said the issue of salaries must be addressed now to ensure that the bonus will make a difference.
“We need a pay rise on the basis of the obtaining situation in the country. Educators are now incapacitated and are unable to effectively deliver lessons to learners. So whatever pay rise comes must be in the context of the situation that we are in,” said Mr Ndlovu.
In an interview yesterday, the Deputy Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Cde Lovemore Matuke, urged civil servants to 2019.
“CBA 3 of 2019, provided for a 60 percent adjustment on the HSCA with effect from 01 October 2019.
“On 18 October 2019, parties to the HSBNP agreed that the said CBA 3 of 2019 be amended to provide for a review of the health sector specific allowances by a further 40 percent from 60 percent.
“This review is with effect from 1 October 2019,” said Dr Sikhosana.
However, defiant striking junior doctors snubbed the negotiating table arguing that they were no longer part of the Health Apex Council.
In an interview following the announcement of the latest agreement, acting Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association president Dr Tawanda Zvakada said they were still waiting to engage with the employer through a different platform, which is not the Health Apex Council.
“We did not participate in the negotiations and we still hope the employer will find ways of engaging us meaningfully with a credible intermediator since we are still open for dialogue. However, not through the Health Apex Council,” he said.
Dr Zvakada said doctors would continue withdrawing their labour until their grievances are addressed.
In September, Government awarded civil servants including health workers Cost of Living Adjustment of between 55 and 76 percent on a sliding scale.
negotiate in good faith as Government had their best interests at heart.
Cde Matuke said plans were at an advanced stage to have cheaper basic commodities on sale in order to cushion everyone, especially civil servants, from business people who continue to hike prices.
“As much as we can fight over the salary issue and hike it as many times as possible, it will not stop the price madness that has seen prices soaring. This scourge continues to erode incomes. As Government, our focus now is on addressing