HARARE, Apr. 28 (NewsDay Live) – The Educators’ Union of Zimbabwe (EUZ) has given the government a 14-day ultimatum to review a recently introduced salary structure and grading system, and threatened legal action if its demands are ignored.
The move follows nationwide consultations held between April 20 and 22, which the union said exposed overwhelming dissatisfaction among teachers.
In a strongly worded statement issued on Tuesday, EUZ said the new framework had failed to cushion educators against rising living costs, most of which are pegged in United States dollars.
“The current salary framework has failed to deliver meaningful improvement in teachers’ earnings, particularly in the context of rising living costs,” the union said.
It added that the uniform US dollar component across grades had created wage compression, eroding professional recognition and damaging morale.
The union also criticised the new grading system, saying it was introduced without adequate consultation and had undermined career progression by scrapping key promotional posts such as Senior Teacher and Head of Department.
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EUZ said the structure ignored qualifications and experience, posing a direct threat to education standards by demotivating staff and weakening institutional capacity in schools.
Teachers are demanding an urgent review of the salary structure, including a higher and differentiated US dollar component, as well as full payment of the US$80 teaching allowance in hard currency.
They are also calling for the immediate suspension of the grading system and the restoration of housing, transport and rural allowances.
“The union has given the employer a 14-day window to respond to these concerns. Should there be no meaningful engagement or resolution within this period, EUZ members have indicated their intention to take further action, including incapacitation and legal recourse,” the statement read.