Kwekwe City Council is set to increase employees’ salaries by 45 percent following negotiations with the workers, who were demanding an adjustment to their remuneration and conditions of service.
Authoritative sources within the local authority said under the agreed salary structure, the lowest paid employee was set to receive a gross monthly salary of ZWL$48 150.60, which was effective October 2021.
“This is what came out of the CBA (collective bargaining agreement) meeting. The lowest-paid worker will get a gross salary of ZWL$ 48 150.60, and this comprises a basic salary of ZWL$18 468.01, Service allowance of ZWL$16 974.99, Housing ZWL$7 285.20, Transport ZWL$3 172.40 and COVID ZW$ 2 250.”
According to the sources, the city council agreed to pay workers their outstanding September salaries using the newly agreed structure and that the payments would be made in mid-November.
Kwekwe Mayor Future Titora confirmed to 98.4FM News that the local authority had reached a deal with the workers to hike their salaries by 45 percent.
“Yes, indeed we reached an agreement to the effect that we will accord them (workers) a 45 percent salary increase and they will get it soon,” said Titora.
She said the negotiations however did not deal with the workers’ other demands which included a request for residential stands and a waiver on water charges in their bills.
Kwekwe City Council Acting Town Clerk Dr. Lucia Mkandla refused to comment on the matter saying it would jeorpadise the local authority`s ongoing 2022 budget formulation process.
Council workers labour body, Zimbabwe Urban and Rural Council Workers Union secretary general Chamunorwa Zindimu said the union had not yet been notified of the bargaining process.
“What we usually do is that when workers negotiate or do their bargaining if they fail to reach an agreement at branch level, they then they would get in touch with principals at the national level then we come there to get an appraisal on the matter. To date, we have not received any grievances from the workers.”