New Zimbabwe.com
16th February 2009
ZIMBABWE’S civil servants gave a lukewarm response to new Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s call for them to return to work on the back of his inauguration day promise that their salaries would now be paid in United States dollars, starting this month.
Teachers’ unions called on their members to remain on strike until Tsvangirai fleshes out his proposal made last Wednesday.
The full Cabinet of Zimbabwe’s new power sharing government meets on Tuesday, following which Tsvangirai is expected to give details of the new measures designed to end crippling strikes by teachers and health services staff. Indiscipline has also been creeping into the military as soldiers also watch their salaries wiped off by the country’s record inflation of over 2 million percent.
Tsvangirai, joined by Education Minister David Coltart, was expected to meet union leaders on Monday, with many teachers noticeably ignoring his call to return to work. Most schools continued to be manned by skeletal staff – almost a month after the first school term officially opened.
The teachers want to be paid US$2,300 per month, and unions are sceptical Tsvangirai’s proposal will meet their demands.
Representatives of the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) and the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) said they want the Prime Minister to spell out details of his salary offer.
“Our members have not reported for duty and will not be going back to work as they are still incapacitated,†Richard Gundani, the secretary general of ZIMTA told Radio VoP.
“We are looking forward to a resolution. We will be meeting the Prime Minister and the minister (David Coltart) to find out about the payment of all civil servants in foreign currency by month-end.â€
The joint negotiating arm of the Zimbabwe civil servants, the Apex Council, is also due to hold a bargaining meeting with the Public Service Commission (PSC) on Wednesday this week.
“We are going to put forward certain recommendations to the Prime Minister and the PSC. But as far as we are concerned our demands still stand,†said Gundani.
Oswald Madziva, PTUZ’s spokesperson, said they would demand that the Prime Minister disclose how much the government intended paying teachers.
“The Prime Minister’s statement that civil servants should be paid in hard currency resonates with our demands as teachers but the problem with his pronouncement is that he has not revealed the figures. We are seeking clarification but as far as we concerned, our members are not at work. It is only at private schools where business is as usual,†said Madziva.