THE government has reiterated its commitment to improve the welfare of workers by increasing salaries and reducing the monthly income tax deducted from salaries, popularly known as Pay As You Earn (PAYE).
“The government will always remain committed to its desire to improve the welfare of workers in the country and this year salaries will be up and PAYE will come down although not to the tune of 9 per cent as you wish.
But it will eventually reach there,” promised President Jakaya Kikwete. He was addressing workers here as the country joined the rest of the world to mark the International Workers Day.
President Kikwete said his government understood the importance of reducing tax burden to workers and would always strive to make sure PAYE is decreased to the single digit from the current 12 per cent.Reduction of the PAYE rate and the increments of the salaries particularly raising the basic pay package have been crucial segments in the workers’ message every year who on Friday praised the head of state for working hard to improve the workers welfare since he assumed the office in 2005.
The head of state also challenged the private sector to keep on improving the welfare of its staff and asked the Association of Tanzania Employers (ATE) to deal with private employers who still pay below the statutory basic salary package.
However, he commended the employers who have remained loyal to the country’s laws and regulations governing the employment sector and welcomed the idea of streamlining the 12 sectoral salary bodies to only one.
He hailed the current affiliations in the workers congress which have increased from 18 to 60 today and reminded the private employers to allow the functions of the trade unions in the work places according to the law.
Mr Kikwete recalled the state of workers over 10 years when he assumed power and thanked the Trade Union Congress of Tanzania (TUCTA) for working with his government to address workers issues, saying many more will be achieved by the fifth-phase government expected to assume office late, this year.
He expressed his gratitude for this year’s May Day theme that was designed to mobilise workers to come out and effectively take part in the processes of general election, starting with registration in the voters’ register and voting for the Proposed Constitution.
Speaking about employment agencies, Mr Kikwete said the government has already enacted a law that will oversee their operations with 96 of them being registered so far, adding offenders of the given rules and best practices will be strictly dealt with.
He was bitter with the situation where foreign workers storm in the country by the name of experts even if they are inferior, saying a law to check the trend has been passed and the responsible ministry was now working on the regulations to make it fully functional.
Earlier, the TUCTA Secretary General, Mr Nicholaus Mgaya, thanked the president for supporting the organ fight for the rights of the workers.
According to Mr Mgaya, workers in the country were still unhappy with the current scale of the basic pay, reminding TUCTA needs at least the basic pay be pegged at 315,000 although it was also outdated.
He commended the government under President Kikwete for establishing the regulator of the Social Security Funds now allowing the workers to join the schemes of their choice.
However, Mr Mgaya asked for the reduction of the taxes on salaries as well as forming one employment agency, suggesting for Tanzania Employment Agency (TAESA) to take over all tasks involving the sector. “We thank you for addressing many of our issues and hope the next president will continue from where you have ended,” he said.
Meanwhile, ANNE ROBI reports that workers in Dar es Salaam expressed the need for the government to ensure they are fully involved in budget planning in public institutions in the country.
Speaking on behalf of the Workers at the Celebrations held at Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam on Friday, the Secretary of Tanzania Mining and Construction Workers Union (Tamico), Mr Charles Mgashi, said a good number of public institutions do not involve their workers in budget planning.
“Many employees have ignored the Act No 6 of 2004 that calls for participatory relationship between workers and management at workplace.
The Act requires the management through workers’ councils to plan their budget together with the workers,” he said. The Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner (RC), Mr Saidi Meck Sadiki, assured the workers of government commitment to ensure all their demands are taken care of.
Mr Sadiki called for employers to ensure workers’ contributions are submitted to the social security funds, noting that workers may have to take legal actions if their employers fail to fulfil the requirement.
In another development, ISSA Yusuf reports from Zanzibar that President Ali Mohamed Shein addressed workers in Pemba to mark Labour Day, with a call on employers in the private sectors to improve the welfare of their staff accordingly.
“The government has been doing a lot to improve work condition and welfare of its workers, but in the private sector some employers are even reluctant to raise minimum wage,” Dr Shein said in Wawi, Pemba.
He added that his government had raised minimum salary from 100,000/= to 150,000/=, improved payments for overtime and leave pay and made reforms on various laws for the benefit of workers, but someprivate employers were hampering the efforts by being stubborn.
“We need all workers regardless of those employed in public or private sector to benefit,” said Dr Shein. He added that the formation of ‘workers compensation division’ and tripartite system (Employers, workers union and government relations) were underway.
He said some of the problems like not involving employees in discussion and delays paying allowances including leave allowances, are just administrative weaknesses within individual institutions and that such challenges can be solved. “As we mark the Labour Day, all workers should keep in mind that it’s election year.
Promote peace and stability and also register to vote in order to take part in building democracy,” Dr Shein emphasised in his speech after witnessing workers’ procession.
He said Zanzibar like in many countries is still faced with unemployment, but the government’s ongoing plans to promote private sectors and particularly entrepreneurship would be a solution to jobs scarcity.
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