Teachers threaten strike over civil servants salary discrepancies

Harare- PROGRESSIVE Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) has warned that teachers will embark on an industrial action if government fails to address the salaries discrepancies among the civil servants.

This follows government move to increase salaries of the security sector by 400 percent.

In an interview, PTUZ president, Takavafira Zhou said the salaries disparities were very unfair to teachers.

“The disparities are at best unfair and at worst callous, palpably unjust, vogue and vacuous. We want to remind government that contrary to it’s mantra that it does not leave anyone behind, it has left teachers behind. It is our hope that they will raise salaries of teachers by 400% come Monday, and pay them with immediate effect. Any attempt to shortchange teachers will be met with resistance from teachers”said Zhou.

” Action and reaction are equal and opposite. Government must never treat teachers in their numbers for granted.
“The government is trying to raise Satan and a beast in teachers and must not regret when the generated beast reacts. Teachers will not be taken for granted any longer. We are not second class citizens and must be given a living wage as a matter of urgency,”he added.

Zhou said teachers will soon map the best way forward if government doesn’t redress the differences in salaries.

“We will channel the pent up forces to meaningful direction. The quantum leap of anger among teachers can burst any time and government must take full responsibility for any eventual consequences.

“We don’t mind where the government will get the money from, even if they are to borrow from Satan. All that we are calling for is fair labour practice, and non discrimination of educators in labour relations,”he added.

Government this week increased salaries of police and members of the army by 400 percent.

Under the new increment, members of the security sector including those under the prisons sector got $400 000 in addition to Us$250.
Analysts say this is a move to raise the security sector’s morale ahead of elections scheduled before August.