GOVT STANDS FIRM AT 0% INCREMENT

MANZINI – It was the same old story with government even after civil servants had reduced their demand by 1.3 per cent.

These are the developments that took place at the round table yesterday between public sector associations (PSAs), which represent civil servant in negotiating the cost of living adjustment, and government, which is represented by the Government Negotiation Team (GNT).
A source close to the matter said government continued to offer zero per cent cost of living adjustment increment to civil servants during yesterday’s meeting despite the fact that the unions lowered their demand from 9.15 per cent to 7.85 per cent.

The source said when the meeting started, the unions gave the GNT an opportunity to make an improved offer but it continued to justify the zero per cent increment.
“The unions then agreed to reduce their demand to 7.85 per cent with the hope that the GNT would then table an offer above the zero per cent, but nothing changed as it tabled the zero per cent again,” the source said.
He said this did not go down well with the unions and it resulted in the negotiations being adjourned.

“In fact, they felt that government was saying civil servants do not deserve anything from the economic growth they talked about to reach their initial demand of 9.15 per cent.”
He said the unions were still trying to explore other possible avenues in trying to address the matter.

The source said since both parties were supposed to report back to court on Monday about what transpired in yesterday’s negotiations, the unions agreed that they would tell the court that they tried their best to make progress by reducing the demand but government maintained her offer.

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