CSTU industrial strike put on hold
Civil Servants Trade Union (CSTU) has put on hold an industrial strike planned to begin yesterday saying government has pledged to look into their demands.
CSTU last week gave government seven days from July 15 to increase civil servants salaries by an average of 15 percent.
The union also warned government that if it does not respond to the demands, the grouping would mobilise all civil servants to down their tools.
In an interview yesterday, CSTU deputy secretary general Mavuto Kawonga said they have been assured that government is looking into the demands.
He said: “Treasury, Office of the President and Cabinet [OPC] and the Department of Human Resource Development and Management [DHRMD] are consulting each other and anytime they will issue a circular on the salary increment.
“So, we are not going ahead with the strike because we want to give room to Treasury, OPC and DHRMD to look into the matter.”
Kawonga said the communication from government came after CSTU had already drafted a memo calling for an industrial strike.
“We have been told they are consulting each other and anytime we should be able to see a circular. We were supposed to start nationwide industrial action Tuesday,” he said.
The CSTU leader said they expect the 15 percent average increment to be implemented and not 10 percent “as that is what was agreed with the Government Negotiating Team (GNT).”
Efforts to talk to GNT chairperson Patrick Matanda yesterday proved futile as his number was out of reach.
However, Treasury spokesperson Williams Banda confirmed that the issue was being handled by the DHRMD.
“The issue is being handled by them, therefore, I cannot comment on the matter,” he said.
CSTU is demanding the 15 percent average salary increment to be implemented in the 2021/2022 financial year.
The union cites rise in the cost of living and inflation as the basis for pushing for the increase. The increment ranges from 8 percent to 18 percent depending on the grade.
