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THE two main teacher representative bodies have allayed fears of an industrial action during the beginning of the second term when schools reopen this week.

Of late, it has become a general concern that each time when schools open, the beginning of each term is marred by industrial action as teachers will be pressing for salary increments in line with the Poverty Datum Line that presently stands at $567. In separate interviews yesterday, the main representative bodies of teachers in the country said they would not go on strike before a review of their salaries by Government on 1 June.

“As per our last meeting with the National Joint Negotiating Committee sometime in February this year, there was an understanding that civil servants salaries would be reviewed on 1 June. We have also appealed to President Mugabe about the need for review of civil servants’ salaries. As the Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (Zimta), we are not going on strike any time before the forthcoming salary review,” said the Zimta president, Ms Tendai Chikowore, who is also the chairperson of the Apex Council, a representative body of civil servants.

Ms Chikowore said teachers wanted a review of their basic salary and rural allowances to cushion them from the adverse effects of the cost of living.

At the moment, civil servants, including teachers, earn an average of $312 per month.

The Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary-general Mr Raymond Majongwe said: “We are going back to work as schools open for the second term. We will continue engaging the Government for a salary increase so that by 1 June, there is a meaningful review of our salaries before we embark on any job action. “As has always been our concern, we want the salary to be in line with the PDL (poverty datum line).”

He said PTUZ would want the Government to consider their plight seriously to avoid a situation whereby lessons during the term would be compromised by strikes and other forms of industrial action.

Mr Majongwe said a resource tracking committee comprising Government officials and civil servants representative bodies formed recently to monitor revenue inflows from the Marange diamonds fields and bodies such as the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority had done nothing in terms of its mandate.

“We met in February this year and formed a resource tracking committee to monitor revenue inflows into the fiscus. However, the committee in which I am also a member has shifted its terms of reference and has done virtually nothing in terms of monitoring revenue inflows from Marange resources as well as Zimra,” he said.

In the past, civil servants have pinned hopes for salary increments based on revenue inflows from Marange diamonds fields in Manicaland. Finance Minister Tendai Biti has said there was low revenue inflow into Government coffers for the Treasury to award the public service salary increments in line with the PDL.

In January this year, Government workers went on a five-day strike that saw the disruption of work in the public service.

The industrial action was called off when Government announced that it had reviewed civil servants’ housing and transport allowances while the basic salary remained unchanged.

However, the move was rejected by the Apex Council, which is now waiting for a new salary package in June this year.

According to the Government offer, the lowest paid workers who include office orderlies had their transport allowance reviewed from $44 to $63, with the housing allowance increased from $50 to $74.

The total package for workers in this grade rose from $253 to $296, while those in the middle levels who include Diploma holding teachers had their transport allowances increased from $66 to $95 and the housing adjusted upwards from $65 to $94 with the total package increasing from $361 to $419.

Workers in high grades which include deputy directors and chief accountants had their transport allowances increased from $66 to $95, while housing allowances were raised from $73 to $105, with the total package rising from $447 to $508.

Source: TH