Government workers on Wednesday accused their employer of abandoning salary negotiations which are supposed to be held periodically between the two parties under the National Joint Negotiation Council (NJNC).
In June this year, the government awarded its workers a 50 percent temporary salary adjustment and a US$75 Covid-19 allowance to cushion them while awaiting conclusion of negotiations for a substantive salary increase.
But, the workers said they last met their employer in April.
“The civil service apex council hereby registers its dismay at the absence of dialogue with the employer on the urgent matter of employee welfare in spite of deepening erosion of incomes due to unrelenting inflation,” the workers said in a statement.
“Although the Minister of Finance has been quoted several times in various media claiming that negotiations are ongoing, the Apex council would like to categorically state that no talks of any nature are happening. For the record, the last National Joint Negotiation Council (NJNC) meeting happened in April 2020, where both parties agreed to reconvene in two weeks as the government side wanted to consult with their principals.”
The workers reiterated their demand for USD salaries.
“The Apex council takes note of the un-negotiated 50 percent salary increment plus the US$75 Covid-19 allowance as an admission on the employer’s part that the welfare of its workers needs to be improved.
“We also appreciate government’s realisation that workers need to earn USD to survive. Our view is that negotiations should now commence informed by this re-awakening on the employer’s side that our demand for USD is after all the best foot forward,” they said.
The workers also appealed to the government to ensure banks did not deprive workers of their full value of the $75 Covid-19 allowance, which is being paid into special Nostro- accounts and is not being dispensed as cash.
Banks had agreed with government that civil servants would be given special bank cards which they would use to pay for goods and services, but reports indicate that banks have been forcing workers to liquidate their Nostro balances into RTGS sometimes at rates lower than the prevailing market rate.
New Ziana