By Nelson Banya
Harare - Zimbabwe state workers went on strike yesterday to press for a five-fold wage hike, a move that could cripple public services and hamper the struggle by the fragile power-sharing government to fix the economy.
State employees, who earn between $122 and $206 (between R940 and R1 500)a month, last month gave the government of Robert Mugabe and arch-rival Morgan Tsvangirai a two-week ultimatum to raise salaries to an average $630 a month.
Major unions representing teachers, health workers, state college and university lecturers as well as office workers, held a rally of more than 2 000 in central Harare, saying they would not return to work until the government addressed their demands.
Continues Below ↓
"The people are agitated. They have lost their patience," said Cecilia Alexander, head of the Public Service Association, a union of government office workers.
"We have no choice. Our members have declared that they are not going to report for work. They will only return when the government offers them something serious."
The unity government formed a year ago to end a protracted political crisis says it needs at least $10 billion to reverse a decade of economic decline, but is struggling to attract external cash.
Tendai Chikowore, who chairs the Apex Council, an umbrella body for all state workers, said unions had rejected a government offer of $15 more a month.
"They simply restated an offer which we had rejected before, so we will advise them that this is the position taken by the workers," he said.
There was no immediate government response.
Finance Minister Tendai Biti has said public service pay takes up at least 60 percent of revenues, and limited resources make it difficult for the state to increase wages significantly.
