CSTU Mzuzu protests salary increment
Civil Servants Trade Union (CSTU) Mzuzu chapter does not appreciate the recent salary increment by government, arguing the raise favours employees in higher grades.
The chapter has since called on CSTU leaders to justify acceptance of the increment, saying failure to do so will lead to a vote of no confidence and calls for resignation of the CSTU leaders.
Speaking during an interview, Mzuzu CSTU chapter chairperson Steve Munyenyembe said CSTU leaders accepted a raw deal which has left civil servants in lower grades suffering.
He said employees in higher grades got increments ranging from 70 percent to 110 percent while those in lower grades got 35 percent increment. He said given the rise in cost of living the 35 percent increment is a non starter.
Munyenyembe said CSTU leaders owe lower grade employees an explanation on why they accepted such an increment when civil servants agreed that the lowest paid among them should be getting K70 000.
Said Munyenyembe: “It is surprising that those who earn less are the ones who got the lowest increment.”
Reacting to the calls, CSTU general secretary Madalitso Njolomole said civil servants in lower grades got higher increments in the past and giving them huge increments this time would see their salaries overlapping with those in higher grades. He said it would not make sense to have those in lower grades receiving more money than their seniors when they have not been promoted.
He said the money allocated to the increments could not meet the demands by those in lower grades considering they form a bigger part of the civil service. He said the civil service has about 150 000 people of which 43 000 are in grade K, 23 000 in grade L and 22 000 in grade M.
However, he said those in grade K, L and M will be considered in July and called on the chapter to channel their grievances through CSTU regional committee (North), arguing CSTU gets communications through the regional committee.
