Teachers' movement slams 13 unions for inaction

The Zimbabwe Teachers Remuneration Struggle Movement (ZTRS) has launched a scathing attack on 13 registered teacher unions, accusing them of failing to effectively advocate for improved salaries and working conditions for educators across the country.

ZTRS interim president Zvikomborero Nyabadza singled out major unions such as the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA), Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ), Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), Professional Educators' Union of Zimbabwe (PEUZ), and the Zimbabwe National Teachers' Union (ZINATU), accusing them of prioritising peripheral services like funeral policies and loans over substantive wage negotiations.

"We wanted to remind unions of their sole mandate—representing teachers at the negotiating table—not introducing funeral policies and loans," Nyabadza told TellZim News. "It's wise for teachers to save the little peanuts they are getting than continue feeding sleeping unions."

Nyabadza further claimed that a growing number of teachers had voluntarily stopped paying union subscriptions due to poor service delivery and lack of meaningful engagement with the government on salary issues.

"A lot of teachers have withdrawn from paying subscriptions, and the unions can testify. It's not a forced withdrawal—it's a clear sign of dissatisfaction," he said.

He also revealed that ZTRS had sent formal communication to all 13 unions in April 2025 urging them to unite and act, but received no responses.
"Unions are now dividing the teaching fraternity instead of uniting it. They are milking teachers' pockets without delivering. If they can't bring the employer to the table, they should stop blaming government and examine their own failures," he charged.

Responding to the criticism, ARTUZ president Obert Masaraure said unions are only as strong as their membership engagement, noting that many teachers have surrendered their power to bureaucratic leaders rather than participating in union activities.

"In ARTUZ, we are an organising union. If members tell us to strike, we strike. If they say protest, we protest. Leadership has no power without the members," said Masaraure.
"The employer won't be begged to the table. They must be dragged there. Mass action is the only language they understand."

Masaraure also condemned teachers who continue to support what he termed "yellow unions" that are aligned with the government, saying this undermines genuine efforts for reform.

"Those who subscribe to government-linked unions are funding their own exploitation," he said. "We fight on regardless of the barriers placed in front of us. Our struggle is not for money—it's for dignity and justice."

PTUZ president Dr Takavafira Zhou acknowledged the frustrations voiced by ZTRS but said unions are working under increasingly hostile conditions, including the emergence of pro-government counter-unions like Teachers4ED.

"It is unfortunate that the employer has created renegade teacher unions whose main goal is to undermine legitimate unionism while remaining silent on salary concerns," said Zhou.

He also highlighted the growing urban-rural divide among teachers, noting that incentives in urban schools have dampened enthusiasm for industrial action, while rural teachers feel too far removed to effect change.

"Urban teachers have lost the appetite for protest due to incentives, and rural teachers feel powerless. What we need is unity across all unions and a collective front driven by teachers themselves," he said.

Zhou urged educators to stop relying on "social media strikes" and instead take practical action within schools to push for change.

The escalating tensions between independent teacher movements and traditional unions reflect deeper divisions within Zimbabwe's teaching profession. While ZTRS accuses established unions of complacency, union leaders insist that true change requires the active participation of rank-and-file members.

With teachers continuing to bear the brunt of low wages, inflation, and poor working conditions, calls for collective, coordinated action are growing louder. Whether the profession can unite across its many fault lines remains the critical question.