Chairperson of the Mozambican National Association of Nurses (ANEMO), Raul Piloto
Maputo, 30 Jan (AIM) – The chairperson of the Mozambican National Association of Nurses (ANEMO), Raul Piloto, on Wednesday announced the suspension of the strike called by trade unions supposedly representing workers of the public administration who were demanding payment of the traditional New Year Bonus.
The bonus is colloquially known as “the 13th month”, because it is equivalent to an extra month’s payment of the basic wage. The government is not obliged to pay this bonus, since it is not covered by any work contract.
Shortly before Christmas, the then Prime Minister, Adriano Maleiane, announced that the government does not have enough money to pay the bonus. He claimed that the state budget only contains enough money to pay the December wage bill, and to solve “some specific questions, particularly with regard to education” (a reference to the overtime payments that teachers have been demanding for months).
Trade unions immediately threatened to go on strike. A statement, signed by the National Public Service Union and the National Association of Teachers (ANAPRO) declared that they would boycott all activities in order to pressure the government so that it pays them the 13th month.
The new government, under President Daniel Chapo, reversed its predecessor’s decision and has found the money necessary to pay the bonus.
At a meeting of the Council of Ministers (Cabinet) on Tuesday, the government spokesperson, the Minister for State Administration, Inocencio Impissa, said the 13th month will be paid, but only in February. For most of the public service, only 50 per cent of the bonus will be paid, but for state pensioners, the figure rises to 100 per cent.
This was enough to persuade the unions to call off the strike. At a Maputo press conference on Wednesday, Piloto said that initially the strikers only wanted to return to work once the government had paid them for the days they had been absent from work – even though the general practice, all over the world, is that employers only pay their workers for the days they are actually at work.
“In a gesture of sensitivity and good faith, we have opted to show our trust that the government will keep its word”, he said. “We hope that the government is also acting in good faith, and will cancel the absences marked because workers were not physically present, and will avoid possible harassment, which will compromise a good working environment.”.
The trade unionists asked the government to be more open to dialogue, and that no workers should suffer any reduction in their wages because they had participated in the strike.
Piloto added that the workers are not satisfied that only 50 per cent of the bonus will be paid, but they are accepting this reduced payment because they understand the current financial situation of the country.
If the government breaks its word, the strike will resume, he threatened.
The unions which called the strike are the National Association of Nurses (ANEMO), the United Association of Mozambican Health Professionals (APSUSM), the United Association of Teachers (APU) and the National Public Service Union (SINAFP). It is not known how many members these associations have and how representative they are of public employees.
(AIM)
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