Public service: the quest for social justice for legal statutes and wages

The union of Madagascar’s democrat civil servants is believing the issue not to be restricted to healthcare agents, but to be extended to all kinds of civil servants. “The civil servants’ general statute is largely outdated; on this account, each branch is trying to claim a statute of exception.” read a statement. This union is politically engaged and calls upon the implementation of a single index grid for the whole public service profession. “Agents having equally graduated  and completing the same job have to get the same wages”. According to the union, statute reshuffle must not be a privilege granted by the regime to departments of its liking.

All of the claims look legitimate. Policemen, magistrates and, quite recently healthcare agents are privileged groups… Do the other departments not deserve it? Ranks and classes are loosing their meanings because of this preferential treatment. As an example, a kindergarten’s teacher is merely receiving 100,000 Ariary per month, whereas his counterpart from the police forces is earning 300,000 Ariary. Public salaries are, as a matter of fact, rather low, comared to the private sector. University professors are aiming at 800,000 Ariary,expectations significantly reduced to 300,000 Ariary by the HAT, in order to improve their lifestyle.

Law texts drafted during the first republic are totally outdated. Some figures like housing and family allowances have been failing to evolve, and finally appear totally disconnected from everyday life. In a general way, the state regularly increases its index, and various departments are entitled to deal with their own maths.

Healthcare agents have won a battle against the dictating authorities, even if victory is not yet at range. Parameds are not keen on being stranded behind the touch line, and keep on claiming for recognition of their relevance in the public white machine. Nurses, male or not, and midwives are still on the frontline, and granted the HAT a short week to address the issue.

A decision from a Cabinet meeting concerning parameds’ particular statute and due wage increase is being expected. Various paramedic groupings are promising large scale actions. General strike is not yet being confirmed, as parameds are still insuring minimal service.

The HAT public service, labor and social laws ministry has done its best trying to block healthcare agents’ claims, before giving in. Noelson William promised  a reshuffle of civil servants’ general statute instead of various particular statutes, provide it blocks the pandemic. But such a reshuffle is requiring time and indeed money, nowadays a very seldom commodity for the HAT. The dictating authorities are compelled to pull back in order to deactivate the pending serious social conflict with potentially as so serious political backlashes. The use of force and moral violence reflected by paramedics arrested and held in custody got the expected impact, for a while. But the action is far too sensible to be repeated anew.