Stakeholders to finalise civil servants deal

The National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC), which comprises Government and civil servants’ representative body, the Apex Council, will meet today to finalise issues around improving workers’ welfare.

The meeting was initially scheduled for yesterday, but did not take place after Government requested for a postponement.

It is expected to deliberate on a Cost of Living Adjustment for the last quarter of the year.

In an interview yesterday, Apex Council vice secretary Mr Gibson Mushangu confirmed today’s meeting.

“The meeting will be held tomorrow (today) at 10am,” he said.

“It was supposed to be held today (yesterday), but Government requested that it should be pushed to tomorrow (today).”

Last Friday, Public Service Commission Secretary, Ambassador Jonathan Wutawunashe, confirmed the NJNC was expected to meet and finalise issues around improving workers’ welfare yesterday.

“The Government reiterates its commitment to continuous and productive dialogue with its workers on ways to improve conditions of service,” he said.

Government has repeatedly said it will strive to improve the welfare of civil servants despite the challenging environment occasioned by Covid-19, which came after the country was also battered by Cyclone Idai last year, successive droughts and more importantly, sanctions imposed by the West in last two decades.-herald.cl.z