In her statement Minister Matibenga said although she understands the position of the civil servants and were they are coming from she has called them to understand that the current salary negotiations must be done under a procedure.

“There has been a lot of confusion regarding the strike by civil servants pressing for better remuneration.

As Minister of Public Service and a former trade unionist, I am aware of where the workers are coming from and that they deserve better remuneration.

The position is that there is no single Minister who takes an individual position on salaries and wages. Cabinet works as a collective and we have collective responsibility,” she said.

The Civil Servants have continuously made unfruitful attempts to the Minister’s office so that they are given the position of the Ministry as far as their salaries were concerned that has eventually led them

to give her an ultimatum.

“As Minister of Public Service, my position is to make policy and not to negotiate with workers.

The employer of government workers is the Public Service Commission and not the Ministry of Public Service. The propaganda around the issue of civil servants’ salaries has sought to make me the face of the problem.”

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai during his 2012 speech said although he understands the civil servants’ grievances he said it was not justified for them to embark on a nationwide strike which was most likely to cause mayhem in the country.

“Strike is a weapon which people use, there is a right to strike so there is nothing new there but at the end of the day any trade

unionist leader knows that you cannot go into a strike when negotiations are taking place. When the dispute has not been declaired and you just say we are going on strike. They have to realise as progressive trade unionist that they have to give government an opportunity to sit down with them honestly and discuss their welfare,” said Prime Minister Tsvangirai.

It has been understood that the planned week long strike would not yield anything unless the Heads of State give a watertight solution to the never ending grievance.

Meanwhile other speculators say that the grievances can only be resolved only after the estimated 75 000 ghost workers have been dealt with.