HARARE - Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) has accused the MDC side of government of paying lip service to the issue of civil servants salaries despite the party’s labour roots.

Speaking to the Daily News ahead of a meeting between government and civil servants’ representatives (Apex Council) tomorrow, the secretary-general of the militant teachers’ representative body Raymond Majongwe bemoaned the lack of political goodwill on the part of the inclusive government.

Majongwe said the party should be more sympathetic to the conditions of service of civil servants given its labour background instead of violating the country’s labour laws as is the case now.

“Civil servants are suffering because of the melodramatic blame game among the three political parties in the inclusive government. They are guilty but the MDC is more guilty because as workers we expect them to be leading from the front when it comes to labour issues because of their labour orientation.

“They have however, since abandoned that mandate and we view this as a result of lack of political will and it is in stark violation of government’s labour laws,” said Majongwe.

Finance minister Tendai Biti, who is also the MDC secretary-general, had in his budget for 2013 promised to award civil servants salary increments based on the rate of inflation but the promise has not been honoured.

Biti on his part has blamed the situation on government bankruptcy that has been exacerbated by lack of accountability on revenue particularly from the sale of the country’s diamonds. - Mugove Tafirenyika