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Response to Mid Term Fiscal Policy Review
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ)
August 18, 2005

The Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe notes with regret the statement made by the Minister of Finance and Economic Development with regard to a mid year wage review for civil servants. In his Mid-Term Fiscal Policy Review, the minister allocated ZW$440 billion for civil servants transport allowances. He then categorically stated that a review of civil service wages would be made in January 2006.

This is a clear example of the government’s insensitivity towards the welfare of its employees. Every employer is well aware of the deteriorating economic environment that we have to cope with. Most of these employers have awarded their employees wage increases of between 40% and 150%. Most of these workers were already earning salaries that are well above those of the average civil servant. How does the government expect civil servants to survive for the remainder of this year? Most civil servants, particularly teachers have managed to get this far by borrowing to make ends meet. There is no way they continue to subsidise government by burying themselves deep in debt.

Below is an illustration of a teacher’s monthly income and expenditure.

MONTHLY INCOME AND EXPENDITURE FOR A TEACHER IN ZIMBABWE IN JULY 2005

NOTES

1. The expenditure items listed are the basic minimum requirements for a decent existence.
2. Teachers salaries range from ZW$2 007 905.00 to 4 325 692.00 (Gross) per month.
3. They also earn housing and transport allowances ranging from ZW$496 000.00 to 1 323 200.00 per month.
4. In order to make ends meet most teachers have resorted to borrowing from loan sharks. At the last count we recorded 43 organisations that were making deductions from our members' salaries through SSB deduction codes. Most of these organisations do not care what you end up taking home, as long as they can deduct what you owe them from your salary.
5. Whilst teachers are expected to take home an average of ZW$2 000 000.00 after statutory deductions, the majority are taking home far much less after deductions from loan sharks, insurance companies and retailers. We have recorded net salaries as low as ZW$9 000.00 in some instances.
6. As a Union we have tried to counsel many of our members who find themselves in debt cycles they cannot escape from. However, we believe that the only way out for these teachers is for the employer to pay them a living wage. A immediate cost of living adjustment (COLA) is an absolute necessity if teachers are survive for the remainder of this year.
7. We are calling for a 150% increase in basic salaries a 100% increase in transport allowances and a 150% increase in Housing Allowances backdated to 1 July 2005.
8. It is also important to note that the Poverty Datum Line (PDL) currently stands at ZW$5 400 000.00

The above table clearly shows just how impoverished the Zimbabwean teacher is. Teachers are supposed to be torchbearers of our society. The government has reduced them to mere beggars. As a Union we are dealing with large numbers of teachers whose families are near starvation because their salaries have been reduced to a pittance by the continuous increase in the cost of living.

The government is well aware of the teacher’s predicament but continues to pay lip service to our demands. Teachers will not continue to tolerate such intransigence on the part of our employer. As a Union we are under pressure from our members to take decisive action in order to force the government to honour its obligations towards its employees.

We are therefore making the following demands on behalf of all teachers.

• A 150% Cost of living Adjustment
• A 100% increase in Transport Allowances
• A 200% increase in Housing allowances

The Public Service Commission has had sight of these demands since June 2005. They have however failed or neglected to respond to these genuine demands. We cannot continue to tell our members to be patient while the Commission deliberates. Our members have long run out of patients. We warn the Public Service Commission that we will not be held responsible for actions that teachers may decide to take if the Commission continues to ignore their demands.

Raymond Majongwe
General Secretary

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