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OpenZCTU Slams Civil Servant Retirement Age Extension
The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has voiced its disapproval of the government’s decision to extend the retirement age for civil servants and uniformed forces, stating that the move fails to address the fundamental welfare issues affecting its employees and pensioners.
This comes after the government, through Statutory Instrument 197 of 2024, increased the retirement age for civil servants and uniformed officers by five years, effective January 1, 2025.
Under the new regulations, civil servants can now retire at the age of 70, up from the previous 65, while regular soldiers’ retirement age has been raised to 55 from 50, with the option to serve until 60 or 65 for war veterans.
In a statement issued this Friday, January 24th, ZCTU’s Acting Secretary General, Runesu Dzimiri, criticized the government’s approach, arguing that the administration needs to address the pressing welfare challenges faced by its employees to make retirement a more attractive prospect. He said:
Civil servants and pensioners are plagued with serious welfare challenges arising from poor remuneration and working conditions that are pauperising them to the extent that they involuntarily find it reasonable to work forever instead of resting and enjoying their old age
Dzimiri said it was outrageous for the government to unilaterally extend the retirement age, without engaging in adequate consultations with its employees and their representatives.
He said that while it is optional to work beyond the previous retirement age is available, this choice should not be driven by desperation or the fear of poverty in retirement, but rather by genuine desires and needs. Said Dzimiri:
The government must pay above Poverty Datum Line salaries so that a worker can be at liberty to continue working or proceed on retirement without reservations.
Government policy need to unlock employment opportunities for thousands of youths graduating from universities, polytechnics and vocational training institutions instead of shutting them out of employment.
The move entails a five year ‘freeze’ or insignificant payment of pension gratuities with government saving millions of dollars.
The move may also disadvantage some workers who may die before reaching the age of 70 as their benefits would be significantly reduced.
Dzimiri called on the government to revisit the retirement age reform, urging the administration to respect senior citizens and focus on policies that bring direct and tangible benefits to its employees and pensioners rather than crafting measures that the ZCTU perceives as akin to “slave policies” intended to extricate the government from its responsibilities.
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