According to an announcement from the Office of the President, although the Public Sector Unions have accepted the offer they have demanded to have it backdated to April 1st 2012, while Government has offered to effect it on October 1st 2012, on the grounds that the economic situation does not permit backdating the increase. This has resulted in deadlock.
Permanent secretary to the president, Eric Molale, says Government maintained that it made its offer clear from the commencement of the negotiations.
Government says that in the event that an agreement is reached, the commencement date will be in the month that the negotiations are concluded.
For scales C4 and below, the 3% increase will come with a recession relief allowance ranging between P150 and P230 per month.
“This offer was to all Public Servants but because there is a deadlock in the case of Unionised employees the increase will for now be awarded to those who are not eligible to join Unions,” says a statement from Office of the President.
