Pay promise for civil servants as teachers threaten strike
The Herald
By Innocent Ruwende
3 July 2009
TEACHERS threatening to strike over unfulfilled pay promises have been told that civil servants are likely to get proper salaries when Finance Minister Tendai Biti presents the mid-term fiscal policy on July 16.
Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart told representatives of teachers at a meeting on Wednes-day that the Government was working to address their salaries and working conditions and those of other civil servants.
The announcement was expected in the mid-term fiscal policy review.
In an interview, Minister Coltart said he had received notices from teachers unions’, among them the Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association and Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe, threatening to go on strike if the Government does not start paying them salaries.
At the moment, all civil servants are getting a US$100 monthly allowance.
“We told them that Government was aware of their concerns and it realises that the US$100 allowance teachers are getting was not adequate and did not recognise their professional qualifications.
“Finance Minister Tendai Biti is running around to secure money to pay their salaries as well as those of other civil servants. I am hopeful that we will be able to address their concerns and those of other civil servants but it will depend on the amount of money coming into the fiscus,” Minister Coltart said.
But Zimta yesterday expressed frustration over unfulfilled pay promises and said it had twice restrained its members from striking but was now being left with no option.
“The National Executive Committee met on 26-27 June 2009 in Harare to deliberate, among other issues, concerns from members about the remuneration levels.