Zimbabwe teachers strike over pay

Zimbabwe teachers strike over pay

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By Staff Reporter

ZIMBABWE’S largest teachers’ union called a crippling nationwide strike starting Monday this week demanding more pay.

Several schools up and down the country closed down on the first day of the strike as teachers heeded the strike call. In some schools which opened, teachers refused to conduct lessons.

The Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) said the withdrawal of labour was caused by “extreme poverty” suffered by teachers due to poor pay.

A Zimbabwean teacher earns Z$3 million (about £3) including allowances monthly.

The resolution to strike, a copy of which was seen by our correspondent, was signed by ZIMTA president Tendai Chikowore, together with 22 other members of
the national standing committee and secretariat.

“The ZIMTA national executive met in Harare on September 26 to, among other things receive a report from the ZIMTA negotiators on the progress made so far towards urgently addressing the economic plight of educators in this country,” the statement said.

It added: “Discovering, that, not withstanding our relentless efforts to negotiate for improved remunerations for cushioning educators backdated to August 1, 2007, government side has unduly delayed the process and failed to pay adequate remuneration for September 2007, including the back pay for August.

“The ZIMTA leadership and members resolved to withdraw their under valued labour with effect from Monday October 1, 2007, until their demands are met. During service withdrawal, educators will stay at home, because they have no money for transport and they are too weak, hungry and sick to provide the teaching
service.”

ZIMTA is demanding that the entry level for a newly qualified college graduate be “way above the current poverty datum line…that the total remuneration for all
educators be reviewed upward by a similar percentage and that all educators benefit from the critical skills retention allowance since they are professionals should be equally retained and motivated.”

Zimbabwe’s poverty datum line stands at Z$12 million.

The position of the smaller teachers’ union -- the militant Zimbabwe Progressive Teachers Union led by Raymond Majongwe – on the strike was unknown.

The strike comes at a time when some schools mainly in the outskirts are going without lessons as teachers either abscond or resign. In urban areas, most
teachers now supplement their salaries by openly selling wares to pupils during class.
Some teachers have been turning up for work but doing private lessons instead.

Urban transport has shot up to Z$150 000 a single trip, meaning the teachers would need $6 million for four weeks, against a salary of Z$3 million.

In a belated effort to avoid a strike, the government announced that talks for salaries would be finalised on Monday – the first day of the strike action.

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Nicholas Goche said a meeting set for last week Wednesday between the government and civil servants could not take place because the leader of the state negotiating team was away.

A ZIMTA official said Goche’s statement “will not change our position” of going on strike.

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