This is more than twice the seven per cent increase awarded to most people working for the Mozambican state. At the discussions in April in the Labour Consultative Council (CCT), the tripartite negotiating forum between the government, the trade unions and the employers’; associations, it was agreed that the minimum wage in all sectors of the state apparatus would rise by “no less than seven per cent”.
The final arrangements for state wages, announced by the Minister for the Public Service, Vitoria Diogo, at the end of a meeting of the Council of Ministers (Cabinet), include a provision that the wages of most employees of the health service will rise by nine per cent – but doctors will enjoy a 15 per cent increase.
In January, doctors staged a nine day strike over wages. They demanded wages rises of 100 per cent or more, but agreed to return to work when the Health Ministry promised that they would receives a substantial pay rise during a general revision of public sector wages in April. It remains to be seen whether the body representing doctors, the Mozambican Medical Association (AMM), will regard 15 per cent as sufficient.
Diogo also announced that most teachers will receive a nine per cent rise, but, like doctors, university lecturers will receive 15 per cent. Non-teaching staff in the education service will only receive seven per cent. Wages for the defence and security forces, she added, will also rise by nine per cent.
Diogo said that the 15 per cent rise for doctors was a move to bring pay for the medical profession in line with the salaries paid to magistrates. This change could not be done at once, but would take place “in a phased and gradual manner”.
She added that the location allowance paid to professionals working outside the main cities would continue, but other allowances, outside the official wage system, would be gradually discontinued.
Post published in: Africa News