HARARE – The government on Monday lit the fuse for a fresh showdown with its workers after it re-tendered a 100 percent pay rise for civil servants in the Zimbabwe dollar component of their pay, which workers already rejected.

Talks between the government and public sector unions ended in stalemate in Harare after treasury rejected demands for a higher increment.

Unions had already given the government a 14-day notice to strike ahead of the meeting, and the job boycott now looks likely to go ahead from July 18.

The workers unions are demanding US$840 for the least paid worker. The government workers currently take home US$175 in allowances and Z$30,000 per month for the lowest paid worker.

They have proposed, alternatively, a blended salary of “four parts United States dollars” and “six parts Zimbabwe dollar” with the local currency component expected to rise by 12 percent monthly over the next six months.

The government brought the 100 percent increment offer for the second time at Monday’s National Joint Negotiating Committee (NJNC) meeting.

“With the time taken by the government, as ZCPSTU, we thought there was a significant movement from the previous offer. However, the government made no new offer apart from a flatly and vehemently rejected Zimbabwe dollar offer of 100 percent with effect from July 1, 2022,” said Cecilia Alexander, team leader of the workers in a communique released at the end of the meeting.

“As workers, we were not expecting such a position from the employer considering that the employer is cognisant of what is obtaining on the economic environment.”

Alexander said all the unions representing health workers, teachers and the rest of the civil service will be meeting on Tuesday to deliberate and map way forward.

Commenting on the employer’s offer, the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe said: “We can confirm that today’s meeting between government and its employees was a complete waste of time. The 14 days’ notice we gave to government expires on 18 July.”

Public Service Minister Paul Mavima said the government would deposit the 100 percent local currency increment starting this month.

The paltry local currency pay increment comes at a time retail shops are now demanding USD payments for basic goods such as fresh milk, sugar, cooking oil and Mazoe among other items.

The parallel rate of exchange is hovering around US$1 : Z$800.