By Lerato Ndlovu
The Progressive Teachers Association of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) is considering taking a partial industrial action across the nation as financial incapaciation continues to grip the civil service.
Addressing members, PTUZ President, Dr Takavafira Zhou, said that the labour movement’s provincial offices had resolved to down their tools.
Zhou said that teachers grievances were far from being resolved as ZWL$780 meant for cushioning teachers and other civil service personnel had not done anything in quenching the litany of problems they are facing.
The cushioning, had “been eroded by recent increase of fuel and its ripple effects on increase of basic commodities and transport costs.”
He said, the finance minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube was taking dictatorial stance in matters that required engagement from the people currently providing services to the nation at a paltry salary.
“Minister Mthuli Ncube’s unilateral and banditry enunciation of cushions without engaging teachers in any collective bargaining.”
As advised by PTUZ provincial offices, Dr Zhou said, all the provinces except Bulawayo, Masvingo, Midlands and Harare were contemplating to work one day a week whilst the four will have at most two days of working until their concerns are addressed.
PTUZ said “our initial incapacitation notice to the employer still stands, in the interests of tapping and harnessing all members’ interests and energies, we will be working for a minimum of one day (Monday) and, where possible, a maximum of two days ( Monday and Friday) per week.”
“We demand payment of US$500 per month or its inter-bank equivalence, as the teachers’ salary inclusive of $780 so called cushion is less than US$70 and falls far short of US$500 or its equivalence.”
Zhou urged pupils and parents to join the struggle in an attempt to find a permanent solution to teachers’ starvation wages.
He went to plead for the exemption of teachers’ children from paying tuition fees in every school where teachers are paid by government.
