Malawi judiciary staff vows to strike on unless their grieveances are met entirety

Judiciary support staff who areon strike demanding  a 27 percent increment in salary arrears, among other issues, have told Chief Justice Andrew Nyirenda that they will continue to sit in until their grievences are solved.

The Chief Justice met the striking workers on Monday after they paralysed the courts from Friday when they started their strike across the country.

Judiciary Support Staff Union president Charles Lizigeni confirmed that they met the Chief Justice and presented their grievences.

“We held discussions and presented our demands to the Chief Justice,” he said.

He however indicated there were no breakthrough during the talks.

Judiciary spokesman Mlenga Mvula confirmed the talks were not fruitful as workers rebuffed the Chuef Justice plea to resume work “while discussions are continuing.”

Mvula said the workers demanded that “their demands must be met at all cost.”

He said among their concerns, were salary disparities coming from the background that when the main Civil Service got an increment of 45 percent, Judiciary support staff only received 18 percent thus they are demanding the difference in arrears.

“There was an agreement with government in 2012, which the Executive pledged to equate increments all across the public service,” said Mvula.

Apart from a 27 percent increment to their arrears, Mvula said the workers were also demanding promotions, house allowances and calling for a review of the salary harmonisation process which they said to be unfair to them.