Malawi courts strike to continue: Salary hike proposal rejected

A strike by junior judicial workers which has paralysed the court system in Malawi will continue as Judges and Magistrate are set to join as the Judiciary has rejected a proposed salary increment from government and has since demanded between 17 and 35 percent age points more over and above the Capital Hill offer.court strike

Court clerks, who began an indefinite strike at the beginning of November, are demanding pay rise and have vowed to keep striking until their demands are met.

The support staff includes court reporters that record all court proceedings, stenographers who transcribe them, court clerks, secretaries and guards.

The judicial officers, through a steering committee on terms and conditions of service for the Judiciary, wrote  the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) to resolve their grievances within seven days.

Justice Lovemore Chikopa, Chairperson of Malawi Judiciary Committee on Conditions of Service said in a letter to OPC  said that failure to address their grievance, they will “proceed to withhold labour.”

The government through a circular proposed a 51 percent increment for the highest paid Judiciary officer at grade P2 and 18 percent for grade M.

The government’s proposal meant that a Judiciary employee who was receiving K151 323 (about $302) at grade PO/CEO would have been at par with a general civil servant at K177 980 (about $355), representing an 18 percent increment.

The Judiciary has rejected the salary hike proposal and Justice Chikopa described the revision as “unacceptable” in a  letter addressed to the secretary for the Department of Human Resource Management and Development (DHRMD) dated November 24 2014.

The Judiciary has made a demand of 52 percentage points more on grade PO/CEO, which is held by resident magistrates, 34 percentage points more on grade J, 19 percentage points more on grade M and 17 percentage points more for grade N to P.

Justice Chikopa said  the salary revision is “against the law and agreement between central government and Judiciary”, adding that the percentages used by government “are incorrect.”

The ongoing strike is hampering progress of trials, as court operations remain suspended.

Several trials, including those in connection with the financial  cashgate scandal have been indefinitely suspended.

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Ndangopitamo
Ndangopitamo
9 years ago

Civil servants, fight for your welfare. Don’t pull others down but rather fight for pushing yourself up. Within the civil service we can see a lot of disparities in the recent salary ‘restructure’. the less paid having been given meager increases while those who enjoy other perks have been rewarded hefty increases. You should rather be fighting for these scenarios which in he long run will just widen the already big gap between the majority lowly paid and the few highly paid. Don’t look over the fence and start shouting at others who are fighting for a just cause.

KING SOLOMONS WISDOM
KING SOLOMONS WISDOM
9 years ago

THE JUDICIAL STAFF SHUD NOT GET THEIR SALARIES .THEY R NOT ON PAID LEAVE.

Gorbachev Harawa
9 years ago

They better resign we have very intelligent young men outside who ca
n do the job bettert than these uneducated ones

Angozo
9 years ago

Anthu odzikonda anganene kuti sakufuna kufanana ndi ma civil servants who do they think they are? Judicial clerks are people like everybody and unprofesional. Atasiya ntchito ku judiciary sangapeze ina kwina kulikonse chifukwa ambiri ndi mbuli. Foolish and you are all idiots. Ena muli ndi ma JC ena ochepa ma MSCE, kupambana kwanu kuli pati? Zopua.

chikutumbwe
9 years ago

what creteria is there that court clerk be payed more than a domasi diploma teacher

syamboza
syamboza
9 years ago

u galajuweti wako waku mpembawo. galajuweti amakhala opanda ntchito ngati iweyo? magaljuweti anzako ali vivivi mmagalimoto let the strikers do what it deserves and gort pay what iz due for them

ernest Phiri
ernest Phiri
9 years ago

To be a graduate does not mean having more money, but sufficient knowledge. It is how you use this knowledge that determines your financial status. Many graduates are languishing in town and villages, they have no money.

JAYJAY
9 years ago

What is so special about these judiciary staff.you want increments koma milandu yikumatenga zanga kuti yithe ku migistrate courts.Civil case mpaka zaka ziwiri.we are all malaWIANS NGATI NDALAMA ZACHEPA JUST RESIGN ENA AZAGWIREKO NTCHITOYO.PALI ANTHU AMBIRI OTI ATHA KUGWIRA BWINO KUPOSA INU.ZOPUSA BASI

Poor man feel it
9 years ago

The Labour Relations Act is clear that striking workers should be paid by the unions and yet these continue to be paid by government. This is illegal Justice Lovemore Chikopa. Review the constitution on the judiciary. These guys are already on good salaries and benefits. Their services leave a lot to be desired. They are slow and work at their own pace. There are many unresolved cases in the courts and the IRC is the worst of all. You are victimizing private lawyers and their staff. Peter Muthalika should intervene in this. You give them an inch they take a… Read more »

mac
mac
9 years ago

how special are u. we are graduates working for the people. ngati ntchito simukufuna osangosiya bwanji. stupid old fools

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