Judiciary workers reject K100 salary increment

UNIONISED judiciary workers countrywide are on a go-slow in protest of a proposed salary increment of K100 by management following negotiations.
The workers were demanding a K3,000 increment across the board.
Judiciary and Allied Workers Union of Zambia (JAWUZ) president Peter Mwale said the workers had resolved to be on a go-slow because what management is offering them is “a mockery”.
“Actually it’s a go-slow and not a strike. Almost all the provinces are on go-slow and this was arrived at after we reached a deadlock with management and declared a dispute,” he said.
Mr Mwale said in an interview the union and management had failed to agree on the increment, which he said had negatively affected the delivery of services in the judiciary.
He said the negotiations with Government focused on a salary increment, transport, housing and medical allowances.
Mr Mwale said the workers were demanding 50 percent of one’s basic salary as housing allowance and K500 per month as medical allowance, but that management had refused to meet the demand.
“What management is offering is a mockery to the workers because it is too low. Ten per cent and 30 percent translates to K100 or K300 in monetary terms,” he said.
In Kitwe judiciary workers yesterday joined the protest and refused to work after reporting for duty, CHRISTINE CHIHAME reports.
JAWUZ provincial secretary Clement Kanchele said in an interview in Kitwe yesterday the workers are not happy with Government’s offer.
He said the workers were expecting a K3,000 salary increment across the board.
“As workers, we feel the offer given by Government is not matching with today’s cost of living, and as a result, we feel like we are not considered and appreciated for what we do,” Mr Kanchele said.
A check by Daily Mail at the Kitwe magistrates’ courts found courtrooms locked because all the workers had gathered at the Kitwe High Court.
And courts in Southern Province have joined the rest of the country by going on a go-slow, CHALI MULENGA reports from Livingstone.
A check at the Livingstone High Court and the magistrates’ courts found people idling as they did not know what next to do because they did not know when their cases would come up for hearing.
JAWUZ Southern Province vice chairman Geoffrey Mukuwa said in an interview his members are on a go-slow in the province.
There was no immediate response from the judiciary.