Civil servants demand circular confirming 20% pay rise

Malawi government has committed to increase salaries of civil servants up to 20 percent from the proposed 10 percent to prevent a planned stay away from work following workers demand for a 45 percent slary hike but they have asked to give a commitment letter and official circular from Office of President and Cabinet.

After meeting with the Government Negotiating Team (GNT), Madalitso Njolomole the secretary general of Civil Servants Trade Union (CSTU), which represents a majority of the public service workforce, told workers that government has agreed to increase the wage bill of about K303.5 billion with K2 billion.

“They first offered K1 billion to the wage bill which we rejected and they layer added another K1 billion, making it to K2 billion,” Njolomole said.

He said the new wage bill translates to K72 000 salaries for the least paid civil servant.

However, Njolomole said the GNT has said government’s commitment to raise the salary depends on International Monetary Fund (IMF) approving the demands.

Njolomole told civil servants’ gathering at the Capital Hill on Wednesday that the union and GNT also agreed to significantly reduce the salary increase percentages for some top civil servants to accommodate the “reasonable” increase in salaries for officers in K, L and M grades.

Junior Police officers and primary school teachers are said to be within grades K to M.

CSTU is threatening a strike if government will not meet its demand for a pay hike of a living wage as they protest against the 10 percent increment offer.

Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development, Goodall Gondwe offered a 10 percent  pay hike in the proposed 2017/18 National Budget.

Gondwe said the pay hike would be given on merit to make the public service vibrant.

President Peter Mutharika is on record to have told civil servants not contended with pay packages in the public sector to consider quitting and joining the private sector for greener pastures, saying working in a service is a calling.