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The Apex Council, an umbrella body representing all civil servants, yesterday said the offer was still below their expectations and have sought an audience with President Mugabe. Two weeks ago, the Government increased the basic salary for the least-paid worker by US$6 from US$122 to US$128 while the housing allowance was raised from US$6 to US$12. The transport allowance was increased from US$13 to US$20.

Government team leader under the Joint Negotiating Council Mr Prince Mupazviriho agreed to facilitate the meeting with the President soon. Apex Council chairperson Mrs Tendai Chikowore yester-day said Government had revised its position and offered a nominal increase of US$25 in housing and transport allo-wances. She said their employer offered to increase the housing allowance for the least-paid worker from US$12 to US$30 and reviewed the transport allowance up to US$28 from US$20.

Mrs Chikowore said no agreement was signed because they wanted to consult with their membership first. “Government has come up with a revised position on allowances, but the basic salary has remained at US$128 for the lowest-paid worker. The housing allowance has been reviewed from US$12 to US$30 and transport has gone up from US$20 to US$28.

RAYMOND MAJONGWE

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“Those in grade C had their transport allowances inc-reased from US$24 to US$32 and housing allowances were reviewed from US$15 to US$34,” she said.

Government, Mrs Chikowore said, initially proposed that the additional increases be effective from February, but they insisted that they should be backdated to January. Said Mrs Chikowore: “We had earlier consulted with the Ministers of Finance (Tendai Biti) and Public Service (Professor Eliphas Mukonoweshuro) and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on the civil service salary issue, but it seems the issue is beyond their control.

“We need to seek audience with President Mugabe and Government team leader Mr Mupazviriho said he will facilitate an urgent meeting with the Head of State.”

She said they would continue to pursue amicable ways of persuading Government to address their concerns.Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe secretary-general Mr Raymond Majongwe said: “As PTUZ we are taking what Government has given us because they have shown some commitment to address our problems.

“If that commitment is anything to go by, we will see some improvement and there are other non-monetary benefits that we are still discussing with Government.” He said the strike threats had worked to their advantage and were now giving dialogue a chance.

However, the Teachers Union of Zimbabwe boycotted the meeting saying Government had already indicated that it had nothing meaningful to offer. TUZ chief executive Mr Manuel Nyawo said: “We could not be part of that meeting because it was a failure considering that last week we met Minister (Tendai) Biti who said Government has nothing to offer civil servants.

“How can we go into a meeting in our right senses with people of a lower level than Biti discussing the same issue? As TUZ we are saying the journey of industrial action has unstoppably started and we are calling our colleagues from Zimta and PTUZ to join us,” he said.

Meanwhile, most civil servants ignored the call for a strike and reported for duty yesterday.-The Herald