ZULAWU pleased with the 12% salary increment across the board awarded to council workers

The Zambia United Local Authorities Workers Union (ZULAWU) is pleased with the 12% salary increment across the board awarded to council workers in the country.

ZULAWU and Fire Services Union of Zambia (FIRESUZ) and Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development on Tuesday concluded negotiations for the 2022 improved Salaries/Wages and Conditions of service for local authorities employees.

ZULAWU President Emmanuel Mwinsa said the parties also agreed for a new job evaluation and re-grading exercise to be undertaken for purposes of restructuring and development of new organization structures for local authorities in line with the decentralization policy.

Mr. Mwinsa revealed that ZULAWU will commence the engagements with the Government outside the bargaining process to put measures on how best salaries for the division iv’s in salary scales grade 1 to grade 3 should be harmonized with those in the public mainstream.

“The Zambia United Local Authorities Workers Union (ZULAWU) wishes to announce that the bargaining process between the local authorities of the republic of Zambia and the Zambia united local authorities workers union for improved salaries/wages and conditions of service that commenced on Wednesday, 27th January, 2022 came to concussion on Tuesday, 8th February, 2022 and as the parties we have since signed the collective agreement with a salary increment of 12% across all the salary scales from less 08 to less 18 and g1 to g3 of division iv salary scales,” he stated.

“We also wish to inform our members that the parties also agreed for a new job evaluation and regrading exercise to be undertaken for purposes of restructuring and development of new organization structures for local authorities in line with the decentralization policy. The parties also agreed to have the revision of salary scales for stores officers, registry supervisors, public relations officers, and clerical officers, plant/machinery operators to be addressed through the job evaluation and re-grading exercise. The reason for not undertaking a piecemeal approach is to avoid distortions in the salary structure, hence a comprehensive approach through restructuring of the councils organization structure,” Mr. Mwinsa said.

He said the variance between the lowest paid employee in division four in the local authorities and those in salary scale ‘a’ in the public mainstream is currently standing at 1,468.91.

“We wish also to state that the union shall commence the engagements with government outside the bargaining process to put measures on how best salaries for the division iv’s in salary scales grade 1 to grade 3 should be harmonized with those in the public mainstream. The variance between the lowest paid employee in division iv in the local authorities and those in salary scale ‘a’ in the public mainstream is currently standing at 1,468.91.As a union we have confidence that this difference shall be addressed by the new dawn government considering the seriousness attached to local government as already demonstrated in the area of fiscal decentralization,” Mr. Mwinsa said.

Meanwhile, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Wisdom Bwalya said the increment is aimed at ensuring that councils maintain a positive work environment that boosts employee morale, retention and productivity.

Mr Bwalya repeated that the New Dawn Government is committed to improving the welfare of employees as demonstrated by the award of the said 12 % Salary increment amidst hard times.

“I now challenge the Local Authorities employees to reciprocate this gesture by working hard to improve service delivery to the people,” Mr Bwalya said.

Mr. Bwalya said the 2022 improved salaries/wages and conditions of service will be financed using the 2022 Local Government Equalisation Fund and locally generated revenues.

He directed principal officers of Local Authorities to develop strategies to improve revenue collection to provide satisfactory services to communities and raise resources to pay salaries/wages on time.