THE Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe has distanced itself from a teachers’ planned march to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Office, which is being organised by other associations in the education sector — to demand a 100% salary review for their members.
by TAFADZWA MUTACHA
TUZ secretary-general Manuel Chitokwindo said his union was opposed to the idea of marching to the President’s Office, although their grievances needed immediate attention and robust engagement with the employer.
“TUZ does not agree with the idea of marching to the President’s Office as if the government negotiators have shut the doors for conflict resolution, notwithstanding the fact that our grievances need immediate attention and robust engagement with the employer,” he said in a statement.
“No doubt the issue of salaries which are far below the poverty datum line, scrapping of vacation leave, bunging systems and hasty implementation of the new curriculum crowned by insufficient resources in schools, particularly in rural marginalised areas, the employer has to focus on these grievances in order to bring sanity in the education sector.” This comes after teachers threatened industrial action when schools open for the second term to force the government to increase their salaries by 100% and housing and transport allowances by 50%.