Zimbabwe agrees pay rise for civil servants

The Zimbabwean government and civil servants have agreed to a pay rise deal, after months of strikes that have severely impacted public services. 

Under the new deal, the lowest-paid worker will now be paid Z$2,500 (US$146) per month - an increase from the previous wage of Z$1,033. The highest paid civil servants will now be get Z$4,631. The pay rise will be backdated to 1st January.

Furthermore, there will be a Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) based on the total package, also to be paid at the beginning of February and backdated to January

Public workers union Apex Council said the wage increase was less than a third of what they had asked for and that they would continue pressuring the government for more. The union had previously rejected a government offer to pay employees double their previous salaries on the grounds that it was too little. 

Zimbabwe is currently grappling with its worst economic crisis in a decade, as soaring inflation has eroded salaries,

The country is also suffering from frequent shortages of foreign currency, food, fuel, electricity and medicine. 

Photo credit: New Zimbabwe