Ei-iE

EI’s largest affiliates in Zimbabwe – the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) and the Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) – were sharply critical of the salary increase for civil servants announced last week by the government.

Public Service Minister Eliphas Mukonoweshuro on Tuesday hiked salaries for government workers, including teachers, from $100 US monthly to $155 to $200 US, depending on seniority. The PTUZ and ZIMTA, whose members make up the largest number of government employees, had demanded a minimum monthly salary of $400 US. Both unions argue that the new salaries are not only unreasonably low, and furthermore that the process is unacceptable since no prior consultation or negotiation had taken place between government representatives and the unions.

ZIMTA believes strongly that the government could do better than this, considering that the salary issue has been on the table for the last seven months. According to PTUZ, teachers are losing patience and are likely to start looking for employment outside the country. PTUZ threatened to continue boycotting classes if their demands were not met.

ZIMTA said its members will be “forced to invoke desperate measures to induce response, should the government fail to build a promissory road map towards equitable salaries.”