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This article participates on the following special index pages:
Strikes and Protests 2007/8 - Teachers and Lecturers
Zimta
joins teachers strike as it enters third week
Henry Makiwa, SW Radio Africa
September 27, 2007
Visit
the index of articles on the teachers' strikes
http://www.swradioafrica.com/news270907/zimta270907.htm
Zimbabwe's
two teachers unions on Wednesday finally found common ground when
the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) called for its membership
to join in the national strike.
Most teachers
in Zimbabwe went on a go-slow early September in protest at poor
salaries, while some went on a full strike a fortnight ago, following
calls by the Progressive
Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ).
According to
sources, leaders of ZIMTA - largely seen as docile and compliant
to the government - told its members to join the strike Thursday
after discussions with government for a salary review fell through.
The PTUZ's general
secretary, Raymond Majongwe, welcomed ZIMTA's "late entry into
the fray" describing the teachers crisis as "needing the
support of all".
Majongwe said:
"We feel sad for the students who have to go without classes
and its unfortunate to the parents as well but it is the government
that is to blame.
"The government
has the express responsibility of ending this strike if it can pay
teachers a reasonable salary. It is part of it's terms of governance
to cater for civil servants, teachers included, but it has dismally
failed so far. We however, welcome ZIMTA who have finally seen that
negotiations with this government do not work, for joining the job
action."
Some teachers
in Zimbabwe are earning as little as Z$2 million, an equivalent
of 3 pounds sterling on the black market. A fortnight ago, teachers
spurned a 100 percent salary increment from government, demanding
instead a Z$15 million basic salary plus a Z$5,2 million housing
allowance and Z$4 million transport recompense.
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