A serious fallout is simmering among unions representing teachers over differences in tactics to force the government to give in to their demands when schools open tomorrow.
The friction has resulted in the unions splitting into two
different camps — Federation of Zimbabwe Educators Union (Fozeu) and the
Federation of Educators Union of Zimbabwe (Feuz).
Fozeu members are Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of
Zimbabwe (Artuz), Educators Union of Zimbabwe (EUZ) Zimbabwe Visually Impaired
Teachers Union and Professional Educators Union of Zimbabwe
Under the Feuz, there is the Zimbabwe Teachers
Association(Zimta), Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Ptuz), Teachers
Union of Zimbabwe (TUZ), Zimbabwe Democratic Teachers Union (ZDTU), Zimbabwe
National Educators Union (ZiNEU), Zimbabwe National Teachers Union (Zinatu),
Zimbabwe Rural Teachers Union (Zirutu) and the Zimbabwe National Union of
School Heads (Zinush) .
The Fozeu have declared industrial action when schools open
tomorrow to press the government to pay teachers a minimum wage of US$1 260.
However, the Feuz, which has the majority of the teachers’
representatives, has stated that their members will report for duty to give
room for dialogue.
Feuz is demanding a minimum wage of US$840.
Leaders of teachers unions have thrown accusations at each
other as the government refuses to give in to their demands, with those opting
for dialogue labelled sellouts.
The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Ptuz) pulled
out from Fozeu following its decision not to negotiate for better salaries
under the National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC).
Fozeu chairperson, who is also Amalgamated Rural Teachers
Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz) president, Obert Masaraure said they could not
negotiate with the government because there was no forum for such negotiations
to take place.
“We are not part of the NJNC because its establishment is
unconstitutional,” Masaraure said.
“Our position at Fozeu is that we do not participate in the
NJNC because it is a fraud.”
In a statement on Friday, Fozeu said it had resolved during
the Workers Day celebrations to call for its members to down tools as schools
open tomorrow.
But teachers represented under the Feuz said their members
would report for duty tomorrow.
Feuz leader Akuneni Maphosa, who is also president of the
Zimta, said they believed in progressive negotiations with the government for
better salaries.
“As Feuz we have no position of a strike at the moment,”
said Maphosa. “Our position is that
unions must carry out their consultations. We are still following the
trajectory of negotiation where we talk with the government and push for better
salaries.
“We want US$840 as basic salary. We believe in
consultations as the way to go at the moment.”
Ptuz secretary general Raymond Majongwe said the union was
not apologetic about leaving Fozeu.
“We believe in collective efforts,” he said. “We must speak with one voice rather than
going separate ways. We need to unite workers.
“We are a very small working class, so if we are going to
create so many splinters, we are not doing justice to our cause. The employer
will be threatened if we speak with one voice and act collaboratively."
The government in March offered teachers and other civil
servants a US$20 pay increase and other incentives, such as free school fees
for their children and housing loans.
But the teachers have rejected that offer as insignificant.
In 2022, authorities suspended striking teachers for three
months without salaries in a pay dispute.
The pay dispute goes back to October 2018, when the
government stopped paying teachers in United States dollars, switching to the
reintroduced Zimbabwean dollar in 2019. Standard
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