Sunday 8 September 2019

LECTURERS DEMAND $37K A MONTH


Lecturers at state universities are demanding salary reviews that could push their monthly income up to as much as $37 000, it has been revealed.

According to a letter written by the Zimbabwe State Universities Union of Academics (ZSUA) to Higher and Tertiary Education minister Amon Murwira, the academics want the least paid lecturer to earn $25 770.

ZSUA is demanding a monthly salary of $37 311 for professors.

“The state universities’ current position for the mid-term 2019 salary review is to achieve 100% equivalent of the regional universities average salaries coupled with 5,5% inflation
level,” reads the letter seen by The Standard. 

“As before, our justification for payment of salaries commensurate to those obtaining in the region is that this would arrest the brain drain and attract staff.

“More so, this would maintain the purchasing value of our salaries.”

Non-teaching staff have also tabled their own demands with technicians indicating that they expect salaries of at least $19 952 while cleaners want $3 622.

The lecturers also want the government to provide additional non-monetary benefits for staff.

“Benefits that are provided to staff alongside salaries are important elements of the overall compensation package provided,” the letter added.

“The Zimbabwe State Universities Union of Academics’ proposal strongly recommends the following associated benefits… housing scheme; duty-free car imports scheme; contact and
sabbatical leaves (and) cash in-lieu of leave.”

The demands followed a government decision to raise salaries of employees at state universities, which saw the salaries of teaching assistants, assistant lecturers, and administration assistants going up to $3 270, up from $1 890.

Lecturers will now earn about $4 827 from $2 790. Executive deans, professors and deans will earn $6 606, up from $3 980.

Cleaners, who used to earn about $618 per month, will now be paid $1 106 and kitchen porters, who used to earn about $701, will now earn $1 256. Standard

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