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The Zimbabwean government has been Commended by civil servants who welcomed the new stance to pay salaries based on seniority, experience and education one has.
This new pay structure came into effect after workers’ representatives commended the second Republic’s commitment to pay civil servants according to their academic qualifications, experience and seniority starting this month January 2023, as a means to increase motivation and productivity.
The Public Service Commission Secretary Dr Tsitsi Choruma confirmed this advancement policy will start being operational this month.
“Following engagements in the context of the National Joint Negotiating Council, Government resolved to reactivate the advancement of all civil servants in terms of the applicable advancement procedures.
“Accordingly, the Public Service Commission embarked on and finalised the placement of all civil servants in their respective grades by the end of December 2022.
“All civil servants will, therefore, be paid the salaries that reflect their advancement and placement within their grades with effect from January 2023.”
Dr Choruma added that, to ensure no beneficiaries are left behind, the PSC has directed heads of line ministries to gather all relevant documents or higher qualifications from workers under their purview until the end of the first quarter of this year.
“In pursuit of the foregoing, all the heads of line ministries are implored to submit all relevant higher qualifications obtained by civil servants under their ministries and departments to the Public Service Commission to facilitate the completion of the advancement exercise by 31 March 2023.”
The Public Service Commission Secretary said the reactivation is in line with the Principal Procedures in the Public Service 2018.
“According to the Principal Procedures, advancement is the vertical movement of employees within their grades after a given number of years of service, the demonstration of satisfactory performance and/or acquisition of specified or relevant qualifications.”
Union leaders for many civil servants lauded the latest development, saying it was long overdue.
The Apex Council chairperson Cecilia Alexander added her weight saying the new pay structure was a welcome development meant to motivate employees.
“This was part of the agreement we made last year with the Government as workers’ representatives. Workers should be awarded according to their level of education as well as seniority within their work place. There is a need to award long serving employees, who used to receive notches which is an incentive for their dedication to work,” said Alexander.
The Apex Council chair said the private sector awards was for long-serving employees as part of incentivising them, recognition of their loyalty to the organisation so they stay in the post, as well as their general ability to use their honed skills more productively.
Meanwhile the Zimbabwe Nurses Association president Enoch Dongo also weighed in saying it was long overdue. He commended the Second Republic and President Mnangagwa for walking the talk in implementing what worker’s representatives were bargaining for.
Not to be outdone, the Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association added their voice stating:
“We want to thank the Government for that and the President for implementing that long standing issue which was last done in 2012. It is important to pay workers according to their qualifications and seniority since it will increase production and it also motivates workers. The move is also in line with Vision 2030 to achieve an upper middle-income economy.
“Civil servants implement Government policies, once they are rewarded we are rest assured work will be done.”
Dongo praised the move saying, it will improve the quality of work and instil discipline among workers.
Richard Gundani, President of the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZTA) said the new structure was one of fundamental rights enshrined in the conditions of service.
“This gives meaning to promotion and seniority. Performance needs to be rewarded always. This used to be done when class teachers used to be promoted using that criterion. We welcome the development and urge the Government to do it in earnest and in consultation with the concerned unions,” he said.
The combative Raymond Majongwe Who is Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe’s secretary general said, “As far as we are concerned it’s a positive development. It’s now time for implementation, that’s what we have agreed at the National Joint Negotiating Council”.
Implementing the new policy, will see the civil servant, while remaining a teacher or a nurse or some other occupation, getting pay rises as they obtain higher qualifications, and as they increase their years of service and so their experience.
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