Nurses get increment

Nurses get increment
By Kondwani Munyeka
Fri 06 Apr. 2012, 13:53 CAT

GOVERNMENT has awarded health workers salary increments ranging between K852,000 to K2,200,000 depending on an individual nurse's salary scale.

Zambia Union of Nurses Organisation president Thom Yungana said following negotiations with government, nurses and midwives had been awarded the highest salary increment in comparison to other professionals.

He said these increments could easily be explained in block figure terms and not in the usual traditional ‘percentage across the board'.

"We have seen our members going away with additional cash ranging from K852,000 to K2,200,000 depending on an individual nurse's salary scale," said Yungana during a briefing in Lusaka yesterday.

He also thanked government for making allowances flexible and not fixed with housing allowance on 20 per cent, newly introduced transport allowance at 10 per cent and commuted night duty allowance at five per cent of the basic salary.

"This means that every time the basic salary shall be adjusted upwards, allowances shall also automatically increase upwards," said Yung'ana.

He commended government for putting up a comprehensive and elaborate public service pay policy.

Yungana said the policy highlights the principles that guide the negotiations between government and trade unions in the public service for the coming 10 year period.

"This is aimed at getting the best of our collective bargaining process to the benefit of our members and the public service," Yungana said.

Yungana also highlight the 2012-2021 collective bargaining guiding principles as equal pay for equal work, life cycle of conditions of service, graded salary increase, introduction of compulsory health and funeral and life assurance schemes, retention of duty facilitating allowances, maintenance of housing and commuted night duty allowances and introduction of transport allowances as a percentage of basic salary to eligible employees.