HARARE – Government has increased US dollar wages for civil servants by US$25, but the pay rise has failed to impress unions that feel it was way too tiny.

This follows Tuesday talks by government and unions under the National Joint Negotiating Forum.

Government pays civil servants in both US dollars and local currency, a dual remuneration regime that was introduced after the restive workforce protested that Zimbabwe dollar wages were being wiped out under continued price increases.

Following the latest wage talks, government increased the US salary component by 25 percent.

Wages in local currency remained static.

In a letter updating public sector workers Tuesday, Apex Council president Cecelia Alexander said the wage increase is with effect from 1 September, 2022.

“The employer offered an increase of 25 % on the USD100 to make USD125 and maintained the USD75 Covid allowances to make the total USD package USD200 with effect from the 1st of September 2022.

“The workers acknowledged the increase but chose to wait for specific modalities on how this is going to be implemented.

“The employer did not offer or table any increase on the ZWL salary and the workers demanded that this be also reviewed without fail.

“In the end, the government side asked for time out to consult,” she said.

The US$25 increase has however been dismissed as a joke by the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe which threatened more confrontation with the employer.

“The govt, as usual, thinks it’s all a joke. An increment of only $25 when service providers have already wiped out more than that, really? It would seem that govt is pushing teachers towards real action. It’s a dog’s breakfast,” said the vocal teachers group in a Twitter post Tuesday.

-Zimlive