Zimbabwe cabinet approves 'no work - no pay' policy, July pay dates released

Zimbabwe

President Robert Mugabe’s cabinet has approved a ‘no work – no pay’ policy in the wake of the workers strike that led to a stay away earlier this month in the country.

According to Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister, Prisca Mupfumira, the government had forgiven all civil servants who took part in the three-day strike but would not accept that means of protest henceforth.

Illegal industrial action would not be countenanced and government will enforce ‘no work-no pay’ principle.

“Government will not take punitive measures on those who participated in the July stay away early this month, we will not deduct any salaries but I would like to warn that in future such actions will not be tolerated.

‘‘Government will not hesitate to apply the laws. Cabinet has already approved this position,’‘ she said according to the pro government Herald online portal.

New pay dates released

The government also released new pay dates for civil servants which sees the prioritization system still upheld. The Army and Navy who should have been paid in the middle of July, get their salaries on Monday July 25th.

Two days later, workers in the health sector are scheduled to be paid before prison officers and officers of the Zimbabwe Republic Police take their turn on July 29th.

The rest of civil service, pensioners handouts and staff in grant aided institutions will be paid on August 6th, 12th and 16th respectively.

‘‘This time there was a significant improvement in pay dates from the previous month. It is our hope as government that as revenue collection improves, we will revert to our traditional pay dates where civil servants would receive their salaries within the month worked,’‘ Mupfumira noted.

The Minister encouraged civil servants to use plastic money in the wake of the current cash crunch, ‘‘The call by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor on the issue of plastic money and acceptance of other currencies in circulation should be emphasized and your buy-in is requested,’‘ she said.

The government is directing more that $200 million towards salaries, a situation which is unsustainable. To reduce the wage bill, the civil service is being rationalized with a number of cost cutting measures being put in place, the Herald further reports.

Summary of July Pay Schedule