ZIMBABWE
Zimbabwe’s main teachers’ union has accused the Government of using backhanded measures to sabotage a protest march over poor pay and working conditions.
The Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) claimed school principals were directed to hold compulsory meetings with teachers on the day of the march.
The PTUZ said the protest was authorised by police and it was also given permission to picket at their employers’ offices.
While those who joined the protest managed to march to the Ministries of Finance and Public Service, only a handful of teachers were able to participate.
Addressing the depleted protest, Secretary-General of PTUZ, Raymond Majongwe called on members to give him the names of principals who had called the compulsory meetings.
“These overzealous characters must be named and shamed; please furnish us with their names and addresses as we may need to visit them in our numbers one day, so please give us those rogue characters’ details,” Mr Majongwe said.
“We have made our point, we have achieved what we wanted; that is to communicate our displeasure with our working conditions and we hope they will take heed because from here we are going back to our stations from where we will decide what future action to take.”
A petition was handed in at the Public Service Ministry, but the offices of the Finance Ministry were empty, officials having apparently fled when they heard the chanting demonstrators approaching.
Along with other PS employees, teachers are demanding they be paid in US dollars as the local currency is almost worthless.
They also want their employer to review their monthly salaries upwards to above the poverty datum line, which they estimate is now more than US$800 (A$1,100).
Harare, 12 November 2018
