Civil Servants’ Strike Looms as Zimta Makes U-turn

The Standard
20th September 2009

A crippling civil servants strike is looming after government last week reneged on an agreement to meet unions to discuss fresh salary demands.

But the Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (Zimta) made a dramatic u-turn yesterday and called off its three-week-old strike accusing Zanu PF of trying to “hijack” the job action meant to force the seven-month-old government to award them another salary increment.

The Zimta move follows widespread reports that Zanu PF militias were threatening teachers especially in rural areas who had ignored the call for a job boycott by the association.

Government representatives two weeks ago asked for 14 working days to consult their principals on the salary dispute before they could agree on new figures.

The deadline lapsed last week.

Public Service Association (PSA) executive secretary Emmanuel Tichareva last week said they were “increasingly coming under pressure” from their restive constituency to call for a strike.

He said if the government fails to address the salary dispute this week all civil servants will down tools in protest.

“If we fail to meet next week or fail to resolve our differences that means we would have reached a deadlock,” said Tichareva. “ This means dialogue would have failed and we will join our colleagues who are already in the trenches.”

Civil servants and government representatives were supposed to have met last week under the National Joint Council (NJNC), which operates under the Ministry of Public Service to deliberate on the issue of salaries.

But government representatives said they could not come for the meeting as they were still consulting with their principals.

Some civil servants told The Standard last week that they had already started a go-slow in protest at the slow pace of the salary negotiations.

The PSA wants entry level salaries of US$402 a month with another US$100 for housing and transport allowance.

Civil servants, who started getting a US$100 allowance in February when the inclusive government abandoned Zimbabwe dollar, are now earning US$150 a month beginning July.

The teachers’ association was demanding a salary increment of US$500, up from about US$150.

Prince Mupazviriyo, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth, who is also the spokesperson for government representatives in the NJNC, could not be reached for comment.

However, the government, which is battling to raise revenue through taxes, has indicated that it would be able to increase salaries for civil servants including teachers.

Public Service Minister Eliphas Mukonoweshuro could not be reached for comment last week.

But Minister of Finance Tenadi Biti recently ruled out an increment for civil servants soon saying the government was operating on limited cash resources with “little fiscus space” to manoeuvre.

“Unless there is a dramatic improvement in the economy and revenue improves by 300%, we have no fiscal space for a salary increment at the moment,” he said.

Biti appealed to all civil servants for patience while the national economy grew and tax revenue rose.
The government in July recorded its highest revenue inflows this year of about US$90 million, he said, but 65 % of this was gobbled up by salaries.

Biti said: “We paid around US$52 million for civil servants’ salaries and the rest has to go to hospitals for drugs, the various embassies across the world, food and inputs for agricultural activities among other expenses.”

The Finance Minister said there were 236 000 civil servants and if all were paid the lowest desired wage of US$400, government would have to fork out more than US$94 million a month.

Zanu PF has been accused of trying to destabilise the fragile unity government and Zimta is viewed as its long time ally.

Zimta president, Tendai Chikowore yesterday told journalists they had received reports that Zanu PF was intimidating teachers in Mashonaland East, Manicaland and Masvingo.

“It has come to the attention of Zimta that some political elements have taken advantage of the genuine cause to ride on the strike,” she said. “In some cases, these elements have brutalised our members.

“We received reports that some soldiers in Rusape and Makoni East were beating up non-Zimta members who were reporting for duty while some Zanu PF youths in Gutu were chasing students away from school.”

She said a Zimta national executive committee meeting on Friday evening decided to call off the strike with effect from tomorrow.

Teachers were demanding a minimum salary of US$501 a month.

Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart yesterday said he was “delighted” to hear that Zimta had called off the strike.

“I commend them for their patriotism and acting in the interest of children,” he said. “I assure teachers that I will continue to do whatever I can to address their genuine concerns.”

He hoped the teachers will use the little remaining time to prepare children for their pubic examinations.

Chikowore also accused some teachers of taking advantage of the strike to milk money from desperate parents.