The recent 10.5 percent approved salary increment for civil servants only make a difference for workers in the higher salary bracket

The Civil Servants And Allied Workers Union Of Zambia notes that the recent 10.5 percent approved salary increment for civil servants is low and will only make a difference for workers in the higher salary bracket.

The Civil Servants And Allied Workers Union Of Zambia, Union President David Chiyobe stated in an interview that those in the lower salary bracket will not feel any impact as the increment is too low.

Mr. Chiyobe disclosed that during the bargaining process, trade unions only agreed to the 10 percent increment owing to the huge number of public service workers that the government recently recruited and that government also complained that the wage bill would be huge.

Last week, the emoluments commission approved a 10.5% salary increment for public service workers for the year 2023 following the submission of the collective agreements after negotiations with the public service unions.

The Emoluments Commission Chairperson George Kawatu stated that the Commission during its sitting on 29th December 2022 approved the salary increment that which the government and the unions arrived at during negotiations.

Addressing the media in Lusaka last week, Mr. Kawatu said that the Commission also approved the salary increment for the Judicial and Allied Workers Union of Zambia which also submitted its collective agreement.

Meanwhile, the Emoluments Commission has warned that some civil servants risk being demoted or dismissed for not performing according to expectations.

And the Commission Vice Chairperson Mwamba Chanda noted that the Commission wants to ensure that salaries are paid according to the performance of the workers.

Meanwhile, Emoluments Commission Acting Director General Mwamba Peni said that the commission wants to see an organized and efficient public service.

“An efficient civil service will also help the private sector to thrive,” Mr Pen said

The Emoluments Commission, today also announced the guidelines and way forward regarding emoluments management in State organs and State institutions. This follows the appointment of the members of the Emoluments Commission by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zambia, Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, in accordance with Section 6 of the Emoluments Commission Act, 2022. In the interim, State organs and State institutions are guided as follows:

The Emoluments Commission will renew expiring contracts on existing salaries and conditions of service and within approved institutional budgets while awaiting rationalization and harmonization by the Emoluments Commission, and will recruit on expanded structures while taking into account factors outlined in Section 20(1), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), and Section 20(2) of the Emoluments Commission Act.

The Commission will also embark on staff replacements and/or promotions according to the existing salaries and conditions of service. They will also issue short-term contracts or temporal engagements in accordance with approved institutional plans and existing emoluments for part-time employees until further notice by the Commission.

They will honor obligations for contractual agreements that have come to an end such as payment of gratuity and other related dues for staff.

And Institutions that have already embarked on negotiations on salaries and conditions of service, should proceed to conclude and finalise the negotiations taking into account the principle of affordability and sustainability and submit the collective agreement to the Emoluments Commission before registering with the Labour Commissioner.

Additionally, Institutions that have not yet commenced negotiations on salaries and conditions of service, should obtain parameters from the Emoluments Commission within which negotiations should be conducted; and With regards to review of salaries and conditions of service, institutions should submit proposals to the Emoluments Commission for consideration in accordance with Section 20 (1) and (2) of the Emoluments Commission Act, 2022.

The Emoluments Commission is an independent institution that seeks to introduce and entrench rationality, harmony and equity across existing widely divergent Pay Policies subsisting across the public sector spectrum.