TEACHERS have declared that they have become so
incapacitated financially that they are now only able to work two days per work
starting today until government has heeded their demands for a massive salary
hike to match the high cost of living.
In a letter to the chairperson of the Public Service
Commission (PSC) Vincent Hungwe, the Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe
(PTUZ) gave notice that its members were now incapacitated and unable to report
for duty five days a week, unless salaries are adjusted.
“We give notice of incapacitation and with effect from
Monday October 21, 2019, our members will be reporting for duty twice a week at
most,” PTUZ secretary-general Raymond Majongwe wrote.
Majongwe said owing to the poor salaries, teachers were
unable to buy themselves new clothes to properly meet government’s formal dress
code.
“Mr chairman, teachers would also like to advise and notify
you that because of their plight they will no longer be able to abide by the
strict dress code rules as the little pertinence they are getting is not
adequate to feed them and their families, let alone buy formal clothing. It is
only logical, therefore, that the dress code be ignored until further notice,”
he said.
Teachers are demanding that government pays them the
equivalent of their last United States dollar salaries at the prevailing
interbank rate.
At the time government banned the US dollar and a basket of
other foreign currencies and introduced the exclusive use of the local currency
in June, the lowest paid teacher was getting USD$500 after deductions, which
would translate to $7 900 at the current interbank rate.
PTUZ joined the Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of
Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), who also declared incapacitation last week, dumping the chalk
over poor salaries.
The development comes as Grade 7, Form 4 and Upper 6
classes are sitting for their final public examinations.
Efforts to get a comment from Hungwe were fruitless as his
phone went unanswered.He also did not respond to questions sent to his WhatsApp
number. Newsday
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