Zimbabwe's Inclusive government, comprising prior warring political parties, Zanu PF and the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), faces a serious industrial action by the country's largest employee base, civil servants, as the government and workers representative deadlocked Tuesday over salary negotiations.
The possibility of the strike comes in the wake of a rejection by workers union over government's offer of US$236 to the highest paid government employees who include permanent secretaries.
Civil servants are however demanding salaries of between US$500 and US$600.
According to the latest statistics released by the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ), a family of six requires an average of US$500 per month to survive.
Most civil servants are however earning between US$ 150 and US$200.
Presenting the 2010 national budget late last year, Finance Minister, Tendai Biti allocated US$600 million out of the US$1.4 billion budget to cover the salary bill for civil servants.
Biti is on record for saying the country's economy is still to perform to expectations and that the treasury coffers are not well capacitated.
The looming strike coincides with the opening of the first school term Tuesday amid reports that teachers across the country reported for duty but did not conduct lessons as they wait for the outcome of the negotiations.
The government controlled paper, The Herald quotes Public Service Association President, Mrs Cecilia Alexander saying the government offer is an "insult."
"The talks didn’t go well because of what Government offered. It was a paltry increment which we felt is an insult to civil servants.
"Government offered us far below what we expected even for an ordinary citizen. It is a mockery to the civil servants who have endured poverty for a long time," Mrs Alexander is quoted saying.
Zimbabwe Teachers Association president, Mrs Tendayi Chikowore said government's offer is "insignificant" and said that it is high time civil servants are rewarded for their "patience and endurance", she told The Herald.
"Government has rejected our proposals that we sent to them and their increment is insignificant," she said.
But the Finance Minister says civil servants salaries have already been approved by parliament in the 2010 budget and any attempts to make changes is tantamount to "breaking the law," a situation he adds government will "try by all means to avoid."
