NURSES have written to the government demanding over $200
000 per month if their salaries are to continue being paid in local currency.
In the letter dated July 14 to acting Health minister Amon
Murwira, the Zimbabwe Nurses Association (Zina) said their salaries are too
low.
“If we are to negotiate for an RTGS amount … our salaries
will be pegged at $203 332, which by merely looking at it, is unrealistic.
“We are aware that there have been efforts to misrepresent
the position of the nurses by some quarters. We do not see it necessary to
comment on this but we would want to factually bring you into our confidence as
to why our members are demanding payment in US$ …
“Our economy is dollarising under the watch and sanction of
the government.
“Charging and payment of goods and services is now
principally done in US$ following the gazetting of Statutory Instrument 85 of
2020 on the 29th of March 2020,” the letter reads.
Zina said on
average, a nurse in South Africa is getting an equivalent of US$1 200 while
Zimbabwean nurses get about US$60.
This also comes
after government angered striking nurses by cutting their salaries. Dongo said
they are receiving many reports of nurses who didn’t get their salaries.
“Most of our members didn’t receive their salaries but some
nurses received their salaries on Monday.
“This is not fair, it’s not acceptable, they are trying to
use dirty tactics to silence us but they can’t win because what we are fighting
for are issues that are affecting our daily lives. As for me I didn’t get
anything and nurses are not happy with this development.
“We had a meeting with the government on Monday and they
told us that we must come with demands in Zimbabwean dollars but our members
rejected that; they want US dollars so we failed to agree with the government.
No US$, no work.
“As nurses, we are going to continue with our strikes until
the government listens to our concerns; at the moment it seems they are not
taking our plight seriously,” Dongo said.. Daily News
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