By Trevor Makonyonga/VOA studio 7
The two most vocal teachers’ unions, Amalgamated Rural Teacher Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) and Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ), have threatened that their members will not go to work when schools open in January.
ARTUZ president, Obert Masaraure told Studio 7 that members of his union will not go to work as long as the goverment does not increase salaries.
“We do not see our workers going back to work because they are too poor to work. Prices of every commodity are going up yet our salaries are the same. There is therefore no reason to work when we are this poor,” he said.
His sentiments were also shared by PTUZ president, Takavarasha Zhou, who echoed that there is no reason to open schools.
Speaking to Voice of America Zhou said, “We will see what our congress in Gweru will resolve. It is almost impossible for us to go to work now and as it is our members will not go to work. We are incapacitated to work and things are bad there is no way we can keep working.”
The minister of public service and social welfare, Paul Mavhima, is on record to have said that government will continue to negotiate with the Apex council.
However, civil servants have vowed not to go to work if the crisis continues.
One teacher said, “I cannot go to work when my salary is not enough to buy a pair of shoes. My salary plus the bonus I got could only buy a blazer from Enbee so tell me why I should keep on working.”
A radiographer at a major hospital in Harare said, “We have reached a point where we can no longer keep going to work. We do not have equipment to use and our health system has deteriorated. It is not only the doctors who have grievances. Nurses, us and generally everyone is not happy to work. This 2020 will be interesting.”
It will be important for the government to seriously consider the welfare of workers before it is too late.
