Employees of the National Lotteries Commision (NLC) downed tools on Monday following a breakdown in wage negotiations.
The commision confirmed that 10% of its employees who are members of the National Education Health and Allied Workers Union (NEHAWU) and the National Union of Public Service and Allied Workers (NUPSAW) are demanding a salary increase of 8.5%.
The employers offer currently stands at 7%.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Commision said it believe their offer was fair "considering the fact that the majority of NLC employees' salaries are considerably higher than market rates."
The NLC said it had offered its employees 7% increment which it said is above the Consumer Price Index. It said this is in addition to a 3% pay progression on merit and a bonus of up to 20% of their annual basic salary.
The Commision singled out what it called the "the extreme high wage bill" plus an "increase in operational costs and a decrease in revenue" as some of the reasons why it could not meet the unions' demand.
It also responded to NEHAWU's allegation that the organisation had been encouraging workers to resign from the unions.
The Commission's said it respected the Constitutionally guaranteed rights of its employees to affiliate to a union of their choice.
Meanwhile, the NLC said it continued to render services to beneficiaries across all its offices nationwide, adding that strict security measures have been put in place to ensure the safety and well-being of both employees and beneficiaries.
