A body representing civil servants in Zimbabwe, APEX Council notified the government of industrial action by government workers in the coming 14 days as payments remain stagnant against the increase in prices of basic commodities.
In a letter, dated 08 January 2019, addressed to the chairperson of the Public Service Commission, the civil servants representative body gave notice of a collective industrial action by the government workers at a time when doctors were already on strike.
“The APEX Council representing the entire civil service hereby serve notice of collective job action within the next 14 days from this letter,” Cecilia Alexander, APEX Council Chairperson said.
“Despite numerous meetings being held between the government and staff associations, there has not been any tangible results to date.”
The 2019 year seem to be opening with strikes in the civil service as prices have been hiking after Finance Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube’s austerity measures.
“The reason for this step is premised on the incapacitation of our members and the failure by government to address the same” Alexander says.
“The incapacitation comes in the wake of the erosion of our static salaries due to sky rocketing cost of living.”
Inflation in December went up to 31.01 % from 20.85 % with the shortage of basic goods, like fuel in the market.
Zimbabwe this year has already witnessed a group of teachers led by Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) also going for demonstrations in the streets of Harare.
Some doctors who started their industrial action in early December have not reported to duty also stating that the government has not met their conditions.
