BY LORRAINE MUROMO ZIMBABWE school heads have called on government to refrain from continuously victimising union leaders, but concentrate on improving remuneration and working conditions for teachers.
They made the statement in the face of a salary talks deadlock between government and unions representing teachers as the educators insisted on the pre-October 2018 United States dollar salaries.
As the wage dispute rages on and teachers withdrew their labour, government responded by docking salaries of those who absconded duty, while also threatening to charge union leaders.
But the Zimbabwe National Union of School Heads (Zinush) said threatening union leaders and teachers for demanding better salaries and working conditions would not cow them into silence.
“The Zinush wishes to advise its members that it has since written a letter to the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare expressing its deep concern over the treatment of employees in the public sector, particularly those in education as well as victimisation of leaders of legally registered and recognised unions in recent times,” the statement read.
“We believe that the Public Service Commission has an obligation to respect the rights of its employees so that it sets a good example to employers in the private sector.”
Public Service and Social Welfare minister Paul Mavhima was not reachable on his mobile phone.
Early this month, Finance minister Mthuli Ncube said teachers and other civil servants were sufficiently paid and earning way above the poverty datum line, which stands at $140 000.
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Zinush said Ncube’s statements were a “slap in the face and contempt of workers’ sacrifices under extremely difficult circumstances” in the face of skyrocketing prices of basics and services.
“Furthermore, selective abuse treatment of workers in the education system is a time bomb, at least in our informed opinion,” Zinush added.
“Whether it is by default or design, the selective maltreatment of members of the education sector has an adverse effect on production of fair results in schools apart from it serving to humiliate and dehumanize faithful workers who are supposed to be the country’s role models.”
Schools are opening in a fortnight, and already, unions have warned that teachers will not report for duty on the opening day. Government says it will maintain its no work, no pay principle to instil discipline in the education sector.
