Stands-for-bonus survey underway

THE Civil Service Commission is carrying out an exercise to determine the number of civil servants agreeing to the residential standsfor-bonus offer tabled by Government recently.

This comes amid indications that most workers are for residential stands but are being let down buy their union leaders.

The union leaders want cash for their 2016 annual bonuses.

Not all civil servants have representatives hence the decision by Government to carry out separate consultations through the CSC.

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Prisca Mupfumira on Monday said Government’s decision on bonuses would be informed by the Commission’s findings.

The findings should be ready before the next meeting between Government and civil servants unions next Monday.

“Many civil servants have been approaching our offices saying they need residential stands as soon as yesterday and considering that a huge chunk of workers are not unionised, we decided to carry out a survey through the Civil Service Commission,” she said.

“While we will give an ear to what the unions will say, we will also stand guided by the results of the survey. The Commission is simply asking the workers what they want — a piece of land or once-off payment of cash. We felt wider consultations are needed for the sake of the many that are outside unions.

“We also have some within those unions who also want stands but are being denied the opportunity by their leaders,” she said.