CSTU says performance-based pay hike a challenge

The Civil Services Trade Union (CSTU) says implementation of performance-based salary increment in the public sector will be a big challenge because the existing appraisal system leaves a lot to be desired.

CSTU general secretary Madalitso Njolomole expressed the sentiments in an interview in reaction to an announcement by Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development Goodall Gondwe’s announcement in the his statement accompanying the proposed 2017/18 National Budget.

Gondwe proposed a 10 percent salary increment to the civil servants and hinted that this will be given on merit so as to make the civil service vibrant.

Said the minister: “To achieve improved production of the public service, the government has decided that in the coming years, general salary increases will be based on an individual’s performance. The Chief Secretary to the Government is working out a mode of how supervisors can evaluate performance of their staff.”

But in an interview yesterday, Njolomole said government should rethink on the decision or make quick amends to the performance appraisal tool used by government if they are to put the decision in motion.

He said: “It will be a big challenge if people are to be getting their salary increment through performance. Unless the tool used for performance appraisal is reviewed, the measurement of one’s performance still remains a challenge.”

However, Njolomole could not comment on the proposed 10 percent salary increment, saying it is just a proposal and as a union they are still negotiating with the Government Negotiating Team (GNT) on the best salary increment.

Gondwe said the fulfilment of this country’s aspiration, to emerge out of the cocoon of the poorest countries in the world, depends on hard work and the perfection of its future economic performance.