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CSTU rebuffs government on salaries

Civil Servants Trade Union (CSTU) has rejected Malawi Government’s offer on new salaries, saying it has failed to take into account the economic hardships currently being faced by the civil service.

In a press statement dated August 27 and signed by CSTU president Servance Sakala, general secretary Madalitso Njolomole and Teachers Union of Malawi (TUM) general secretary Denis Kalekeni, CSTU has instead made a counter-offer.

Signed the statement: Sakala
Signed the statement: Sakala

“The offer that Government has made falls short of addressing the most critical needs of civil servants and has failed to take into account economic hardships that civil servants are facing.

“Appreciating the economic challenges the Government is going through; the Unions have made a counter-offer which is substantially below the initial proposal, but slightly above Government’s offer. The Unions would like to urge Government to seriously consider implementing the counter-offer,” reads the statement in part.

In addition, the statement says government’s offer also falls short of addressing the issue of harmonising remuneration in the public service as advocated by the unions.

“The unions would like to urge Government to seriously consider establishing the Public Service Remuneration Board as soon as possible,” reads the statement.

Both parties declined to disclose how much government brought to the negotiating table as pay increment for civil servants.

But chairperson of the Government Negotiating Team (GNT) Ben Botolo expressed shock at the CSTU’s rebuff, saying: “They never said that when we met them on Wednesday.”

Botolo said CTSU’s demand for a 65 percent salary increase could trigger the collapse of the economy as the country is still recovering from the effects of Cashgate.

“We had a meeting with them and they never rebuffed our offer. CSTU told us that certain grades in government needed to be raised slightly higher and we agreed to look into that, but they never rebuffed or counter-offered. I am surprised,” he said.

When asked on the possibility of going back to the drawing board, Botolo said they will get back to them today.

“We cannot be making such huge offers, it would be too much, but we will meet them on Friday and we will see how it goes,” he said.

Government and CSTU have been fighting over salaries for months now and have not reached any conclusive agreements.

In June, CTSU threatened to stage a sit-in because government failed to respond to its demands regarding leave grants and salaries.

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6 Comments

  1. Government applies double standards. Amid a precarious economic situation, the same government increases salaries for MPs and ministers and wants civil servants to sympathise with it that the economy is not good. That can only happen when civil servants become gullible and unfortunately, currently they are not. We are all Malawians and we buy from the same shops so let’s be fair. Some people should not be treated as being more equal than others.

  2. Government should learn to respect their empty promises in full. It’s long since we started listening to songs of Public Renumeration Board, harmonisation of salaries, etc… And the song now sounds boring!!

  3. Fellow civil servants,don’t relent.The government does not have money today because its us civil servants?How could they raise the salary for ministers by 600%,mps by 400% and buy amerc benz for the president at k45,000,000 and saying they don’t have money? Oooh! what ajoke they’re playing.If they don’t pay what was already agreed,the only option is”TO STAY AWAY” We’re more than ready to do that,why wait?

  4. Alas to all Civil servants. Continue serving the govt while seniors Cashgate it. If you pose your grievances procedurely the seniors talk about economy, why? Until when shall a Malawian civil servant cease this yoke of oppression & exploitation? Restore the dignity of all academicians for they sweated for their credentials. Love your country, consider your people.

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