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Teachers strike for higher pay
Agence France-Presse
February 29, 2008

http://www.africasia.com/services/news/newsitem.php?area=africa&item=080229174552.cypwmhig.php

Teachers in Zimbabwe's state-run schools began another strike Friday for better salaries as recent increases were overtaken by inflation, their union said.

"Our members are all-out on strike," Zimbabwe Teachers' Association (ZIMTA) secretary general Richard Gundani told AFP. "The grievances are the low levels of remuneration and poor work conditions."

Union members downed chalk after the government, which gave teachers a pay rise last month, ignored fresh salary demands.

"We had an agreement on January 23 where the government awarded us a salary increase which has since been eroded by inflation and we are saying we need another increase," said Gundani.

"Teachers are impoverished. Right now, the salaries we are earning cannot cover our monthly bills and transport costs. Some of our members were failing to go to work not because ... their salaries are lower than the transport costs," he added.

Last month's pay rise followed a week-long strike by another labour movement, the militant Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe's economy has been on a downturn over the past eight years with inflation now officially at over 100,000 percent.

At least 80 percent of the population is living below the poverty threshold, often skipping meals and doing without such commodities as milk and butter in order to stretch their income.

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