Govt snubs teachers
TENDAI BHEBE IN BULAWAYO
Government is ignoring teachers’ grievances over poor salaries, the educators’ representative body, the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) has said.
Speaking to Business Times, ARTUZ spokesperson, Thembakuye Moyo said: “As teachers, we are not happy that the government has ignored our call. Our demand is the restoration of the pre-2018 Us$540. But, the government has ignored our demand.”
He said the body was “saddened” that the government called a “defunct organisation in the name of National Joint Negotiating Forum to dialogue on the issues affecting workers, including salaries and working conditions”.
Civil servants are paid both in local and foreign currency as a measure to cushion them from the harsh economic environment.
Moyo said the government should have a dialogue with union leaders in the education sector.
“We do not accept the 25% increment. Our demand is clear. We need the restoration of the pre- 2018 salary of US$540 which as ARTUZ can be the basis for dialogue.
The US$540 can assist teachers go back to work. It is from there when the dialogue can start.”
However, President Emmerson Mnangagwa, recently ruled out exclusive US$ salaries for government workers.
In a statement last week Apex council president Cecelia Alexander said the employer had offered a US$25 increment that would take the US$ allowance to US$200 with effect from September 1.
