Robson Chere, executive director of the Zimbabwe Rural Teachers Association (Artuz), lamented the government’s decision to ignore their light letters, warning that their silence should not be taken due to weakness or coronavirus.
Teachers, represented by Artuz and various other unions, require monthly salary of USD 1,260, up from the current earnings of USD 350.
US$350 is paid in Zig, the latest Zig of many failed currencies introduced since the early 2000s.
The government is evasive and, according to the union, does not seem interested in interacting with teachers on the issue.
Efforts to sit and resolve wage crisis are constantly facing obstacles. Reports show that officials from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, including Minister Torelai Moyo, avoided meetings with the teachers’ association.
“We’re definitely against us. We’ve been patient with our employers, we’ve reached out, negotiated and treated with malicious intentions,” said Chair at the annual council meeting in Giottosholo, North Matabeleland.
“We were subjected to mild empt and abuse accordingly, arrested, suspended, and illegal disciplinary hearings. We are not vulnerable, not cowardly, not secondary citizens, but patriotic experts.”
Since the government has cut teacher salaries significantly, protests, stays and Goines’ calls have dominated school business days in each semester.
These calls are often labelled anti-establishment, sponsored and not patriotic.
Chere adds: “There is no one in this country who has a monopoly on patriotism. If we hadn’t been without patriotism, we wouldn’t be here.
“We choose not to go to greener pastures to actually sacrifice and serve our country.”
