News / National
Chinamasa to meet striking lecturers
12 Feb 2015 at 17:19hrs | Views
The Government has bowed to pressure from student unions and set Monday as the date to meet striking State Universities' lecturers in a bid to convince them to return to work.
A high powered delegation led by Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa has been tasked to map the way forward with lecturers and non teaching staff representatives and ensure lessons resume.
The state university workers went on strike on Tuesday after the government failed to pay their January salaries and annual bonuses for 2014.
The government paid the salaries on Wednesday but the lecturers vowed not to return to work until their bonuses were paid as well.
They say they are the only civil servants who have not received bonuses.
A source close to government told Bulawayo24 News that student unions had threatened unspecified action, forcing the government to act.
"They (government) have been ignoring the lecturers. However, the situation is getting out of hand with students voicing concern over lost learning time. Chinamasa together Dr Godfrey Gandawa (Higher and Tertiary Education Deputy Minister) will meet the lecturers on Monday. He is expected to announce a concrete date for bonus payments," said the source.
The source said the Ste was getting jittery as the lecturers were also demanding a meeting with President Robert Mugabe, the Cjancellor of all State universities The lecturers and non-teaching staff are demanding a fixed pay date from their employer.
They have said they will not report for duty each time government failed to pay salaries on time, with effect from this month.
A high powered delegation led by Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa has been tasked to map the way forward with lecturers and non teaching staff representatives and ensure lessons resume.
The state university workers went on strike on Tuesday after the government failed to pay their January salaries and annual bonuses for 2014.
The government paid the salaries on Wednesday but the lecturers vowed not to return to work until their bonuses were paid as well.
They say they are the only civil servants who have not received bonuses.
A source close to government told Bulawayo24 News that student unions had threatened unspecified action, forcing the government to act.
"They (government) have been ignoring the lecturers. However, the situation is getting out of hand with students voicing concern over lost learning time. Chinamasa together Dr Godfrey Gandawa (Higher and Tertiary Education Deputy Minister) will meet the lecturers on Monday. He is expected to announce a concrete date for bonus payments," said the source.
The source said the Ste was getting jittery as the lecturers were also demanding a meeting with President Robert Mugabe, the Cjancellor of all State universities The lecturers and non-teaching staff are demanding a fixed pay date from their employer.
They have said they will not report for duty each time government failed to pay salaries on time, with effect from this month.
Source - Byho24News
