Civil servants have requested that the government continue paying the US$75 Special Presidential bonus, introduced in November 2025 as a monthly Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), while wage negotiations continue in the first quarter of 2026.
In a letter to the Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Edgar Moyo, the Zimbabwe Confederation of Public Sector Trade Unions (ZCPSU) urged the government to maintain the allowance across all sectors, warning that the current economic situation has left workers increasingly vulnerable.
The request follows a ZCPSU meeting held last Monday, where labour representatives resolved that the US$75 bonus should remain in place while first-quarter negotiations under the National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC) proceed.
According to ZCPSU, the allowance is crucial for bridging the gap between stagnant wages and rising household expenses.
Public sector employees traditionally expect a cost-of-living adjustment at the start of each year, but none was implemented last year, which the union said reduced workers’ purchasing power.
The US$75 allowance has therefore become an important stopgap to help compensate for income losses over the past year.
The union also stated that employees are struggling to meet basic needs, such as school fees, transportation, food, and other essentials, especially with wages that have not kept pace with price increases.
Without this interim relief, ZCPSU warned that many workers may find it increasingly difficult to meet their daily needs.
The union stressed that its current focus is on securing immediate cost-of-living support, rather than longer-term structural reforms like job evaluation, which are often slow and complicated.
Copies of the submission were also sent to the Minister of Finance and the Chairman of the Public Service Commission.
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