Zimbabwe's government undertakes study on salaries

The government has undertaken a study to determine the effectiveness and fairness of collective bargaining agreements being handed down in various sectors of the economy in a bid to protect workers.

Last week, Cabinet considered a report on the Tripartite Negotiating Forum (NTF) meeting which was held on 22 April and presented by the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Professor Paul Mavima.

Cabinet was informed that the meeting was convened to provide feedback to the TNF regarding Cabinet’s position on the issue of wages and salaries. The Government emphasised the need to strengthen the sectoral determination of salaries and wages through National Employment Councils (NECs) as well as maintain the stability of the economy and the prevailing foreign currency auction system.

Prof Mavima told Sunday News that the study which is almost complete was done to have an appreciation of wages and salaries offered in the industry.

“There is a matter before the TNF and the study is just to see and understand the various sectoral NECs which are responsible for negotiations because people in the private sector negotiate for salaries or wages at that sectoral level and they have been producing collective bargaining agreements. All we want to find out is, are they giving us appropriate collective bargaining agreements, in other words are the workers not being overwhelmed by the employers, are the salaries reflective of exactly how that industry is performing,” said Prof Mavima.

He said it was vital that workers were not short changed by employers in the negotiations.

“It could be people in the commercial sector for example, are they getting collective bargaining agreements that actually reflect the performance of that sector. The same applies to the motor industry, beverage industry. The study is basically to find out whether the collective bargaining agreements that are coming about are reflective of the performance of that sector. We also seek to find out if they are fair to the employees or the employees are outsmarted by their employers,” said Prof Mavima.

He said the public sector has a different negotiating platform to that of the private sector.

“It’s nothing to do with the private sector and the public sector, there is a different negotiating process within the public sector where the National Joint Negotiating Council is the framework where the representatives of the Government and the representatives of the employees sit down and talk about salaries and wages,” added Prof Mavima.

He said they are expected to complete the study in the following two weeks and as soon as results are out, they will communicate on their findings and will help in their determination of the way forward.