Collective Bargaining Agreement Rural District Councils

This is the consolidated collective bargaining agreement for Zimbabwe's rural district councils — the rulebook for grades 1 to 9, covering permanent, fixed-term, casual and seasonal staff at every RDC and its subsidiaries. Neither side may waive any of it.

On pay, the Third Schedule keeps the rates applicable from 1 January 2024 unchanged from July 2022: three steps within each grade, from US$310, US$330 and US$342 at grade 1 up to US$915, US$945 and US$975 at grade 9. Salaries are to be paid in USD; councils that cannot afford that pay 50% USD and 50% RTGS at the RBZ auction rate on the date of payment, and councils already paying a higher USD share must keep doing so. A council that cannot manage even that must go to the NEC Exemptions Committee. NEC and union deductions follow the same currency ratio as the salaries.

Allowances are flat by grade band: US$80 housing and US$80 transport for grades 1 to 6, US$90 each for grade 7, US$100 each for grade 8 and US$110 each for grade 9, payable whether or not the employee is on vacation leave, and not owed where the employer provides housing or transport in kind. A food hamper of mealie meal, cooking oil, sugar, salt, flour, beans, rice, washing powder and soap remains, along with water and electricity benefits.

Hours are 40 a week and 8 a day for most staff, but 48 a week and up to 12 in any 24 hours for security grades, liquor outlet, canteen and booking house staff. Every employee gets at least 24 continuous hours of rest a week; working a public holiday pays at least double.

Grading rules are detailed: promotion pays the higher of the previous salary or the new grade minimum, acting in a higher grade for 14 days or more earns a 10% acting allowance, work spanning grades is paid at the highest, and an employee moved temporarily to a lower grade keeps their normal salary. An unlisted occupation is graded provisionally and referred to the NEC General Secretary within 90 days.

On exit, an employee with five or more years' continuous service is entitled to a gratuity calculated from the Fourth Schedule percentage of monthly salary times completed years, payable regardless of why the service ended and payable into the estate on death. An employer may withhold it only against a civil judgment, or a pending theft or fraud charge or summons, and must pay it out with interest if those proceedings lapse. Retirement is at 60 for early retirement on three months' notice, 65 normally, and 70 by agreement.

The agreement runs from the first day of the month after its registration until replaced. Because it is long and highly detailed — code of conduct, leave, works councils, designated agents, inspections — this summary covers the terms most employees and payroll offices act on, not every clause.