* The first deadline of 21 days notice expired on March 11
* Still threaten unspecified action if concerns won’t be addressed after the 14 days
By Duncan Mlanjira
After their first petition has not been responded to — in which they were demanding for promotions to officers who have served in same junior rank for many years, Malawi’s aviation fire fighting services assistants (Grade M) have extended the ultimatum to 14 more days.
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The fire fighters from all airports in the country petitioned the office of the Director of Civil Aviation on February 18 demanding that the entry point of Grade M and L be abolished and create Grade K as their entry point.
They threatened unspecified action if their concerns won’t be addressed after 21 days notice — which has expired on Thursday, March 11.
They have now issued a second letter which they say serves to remind newly-appointed Director of Civil Aviation James Chakwera’s office that the deadline of the grievances has expired.
“Now following procedures of labour disputes, we hereby give your office a 14 days’ notice starting from Friday 12 March, 2021 to Thursday 25 March, 2021.
“After the expiry of this 14 days notice without tangible response we shall be compelled to proceed with our planned action. We look forward to your favourable response,” said the fresh petition.
The firefighters have been serving at junior level at Grade M (fire services assistants) for many years without been promoted — with some serving on the entry grade for as long as 10 years and others as long as 15 to 20 years.
They had said promotions motivate workers in every environment as it shows that their work and efforts are being appreciated.
They disclosed that currently about 76 fire fighters are competing for 22 posts and that those who will be left out in the promotion interviews need to wait until some fighters die, retire or resign to create new space for promotions.
They thus ask the office Director of Civil Aviation to abolish grade M & L and make grade K as their entry point.
An inside source had said in February that the government policy only specifies that if one has served on one grade for 4 years or more, they are supposed to be considered for the next grade only if a vacancy exists and they have passed interviews.
“If there is no person that has qualified to go for interviews, the office may write a letter asking for a waiver,” the source had said, adding that the entry grade is a diploma level but many government departments write a waiver to promote long serving deserving officers.
“An example is that of the prison warders, who start with grade M, but as you are aware they were all promoted to grade K after their sit-in last year.
“Like all civil servants, we receive annual salary increment — cost of living adjustment — but automatically it stops after 6 years upon reaching level 7; like grade M.
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“We call it M7 which is final — you don’t get any more increment and we are not entitled to any other benefits,” the source had said.
In giving the 21 days ultimatum, that was copied to Principal Secretary for Transport and Airport Commandants at Kamuzu and Chileka International Airports, the aviation staff had said if “our problems are not addressed we shall be forced to engage a new gear.”
An inside source revealed then that the “new gear” might had the potential of jeopardizing the arrival of planes carrying COVID-19 vaccines and other essential materials — hinting of a nationwide strike.
However, the first consignment of the vaccine has already arrived and is being given to essential service workers but the country is expecting more vaccines.
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