Malawi civil servants threaten strike: Demand higher ‘living wage’ pay

Civil Service Trade Union (CSTU), which represents a majority of the public service workforce, 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.

But CSTU has warned a nationwide strike if government doe snot reconsider revising the pay package more than 10 percent offered.

“We will be forced to ask all civil servant to withdraw labour is government will not give  the best slary increment,” said   CSTU general secretary Madalitso Niolomole.

He said the union met Government Negotiating Team and that they wrote a letter to Chief Secretary to Government Lloyd Muhara on their stand.

Njolomole said they have given government a 21 days ultumutum to resolve the matter.

Teachers Union of Malawi (TUM) is also threatening to down tools on June 5 over unpaid leave grants.

However, 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.