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meeting with him failure of which they would ask President Mugabe to intervene. Apex Council chairperson and Zimta president, Mrs Tendai Chikowore, yesterday confirmed today’s meeting.
“We expect him to give us the strategy Government is working on to address our plight,” she said.
“We hope by calling for a meeting he has done the necessary consultations and wants to share with us the results of the consultations. He knows what we want and hopefully anything he would say would be part of an answer to our problems.”
The workers are demanding a minimum salary of US$538 for the least paid Government employee.
Government recently increased the workers’ transport and housing allowances in a move that saw the lowest paid employee getting an all inclusive salary of US$296 up from US$253.
The workers, however, described the offer as “peanuts” saying it fell short of their expectations.
Teachers Union of Zimbabwe chief executive, Mr Manuel Nyawo and Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe secretary general Mr Raymond Majongwe, said they had exhausted salary negotiations and were now taking the “political route.”
“We hope the PM will treat the issue with the urgency it deserves. If he fails to provide us with an acceptable roadmap then we have no choice except to approach the Head of State who is President Mugabe,” Mr Nyawo said.
Mr Majongwe added: “We have stated that because of different political affiliation in Government, the issue of civil servants has become a political problem that needs a political solution. We hope that he (Tsvangirai) he will give us a clear road map, which does not compromise service delivery.”
The workers had to approach President Mugabe last year after exhausting all the negotiating platforms.
President Mugabe responded positively as the workers got an increment in July last year. The workers embarked on a five-day strike last month but later called off the industrial action.
Finance Minister Tendai Biti has stated that Government cannot bankroll significant salary increments for its workers. Efforts to get a comment from PM Tsvangirai’s spokesman Mr Luke Tamborinyoka were fruitless as his mobile phone was not reachable.