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.
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Is K72,000.00, Net pay or Gross pay?
Gondolosi its true. Ma unioniwa are operating like parties where they want to please the uneducated. After all the lowest entering grade in civil service for technical people is Bachelors Degree. Now do they want to mean Education is nothing so much so that an M.S.C.E and J.C.E. holder is closer to him. How much is Secondary school fee in government compared to university fees in the same government? This is stupidity at highest level. LETS HAVE PROFESSIONAL SERVANTS UNION. This is the same with TUM they fight for Primary school teacher.
Gondolosi first be repent if you have nothing to say just leave don’t show your stupidity here Malawi is not only you. If you want to buy maize first a farmer should produce, without a farmer no food. Better for you God calls you to rest.
PO and above let’s fight for our own Union. Iyi ndi Union ya anthu opanda ma Degree okhaokha they don’t know how that extra four + years after secondary education hurts. That’s why they will always fight for their own increases. The majority of them don’t even add value in the Civil Service. We should advocate for an overhaul in the Civil Service which will see useless people of the caliber of the current union being retrenched and we shall be able to negotiate for a 100% salary increase at least to march with our fellow graduates within the SADC… Read more »
IWE GONDOLOSI, I THINK U R AN EMPTY HEADED PO! IF DONT HAVE IDEAS, PLEASE DONT COMMENT.STUPIT PO AS WELL.
Do you know what it means having a Degree iwe, nkumalandira ndalama zofanana ndi wa folomu folo. Ndiwe wa JC eti
Why u the trade union always fight for lowest paid people? Wat about the middle ones? Dont target the educated by favouring un educated ones
Aaaaaa,all civil servants should not loose hope of becoming well to do or thanked at work done. Just read John 14 vs 1. It means that we are surviving not because of the care provided by APM but of God, himself. And he is still watching at us ,therefore,whatsoever APM equips to oppress us will cause his own hands to be broken soon. And he will never left a sword in his hand to devour his enemies(civil servants) on 2019 because he will become powerless to entice us to be his part.
Wage and salary increases not accompanied with corresponding increase in Gross National Product (GNP), which could see increase in exports and a reduction in the huge trade deficit the country has with most of its trading partners will only succeed in accelerating inflation.
Proffessor Ben Kalua says this increment will affect the economy if implemented. I say the professor is very ironical is his statement. Firstly Chancellor College academic staff including himself have been on a sit in demanding some salary adjustment. It is strange to hear him commenting how bad the economy will be affected by civil servant salary increment. Secondly, if he was serious with matters of economy he should have been the first to discourage him fellow staff from staging a sit in. These classroom economist will take us no where.
chanco 40%