Reuters : Zimbabwe's umbrella public sector union has backed down
from plans for a national strike, an official said on Thursday, citing the
volatile situation in the country after violent protests this month were met by
a security crackdown.
Wage negotiations between the government and the Apex
Council, which represents 17 public sector unions, broke down on Wednesday. The
unions then met to decide a date for a strike and announce it this week but the
talks ended in disarray.
Government workers are demanding wage rises and payments in
dollars to help them stave off spiralling inflation and an economic crisis that
has sapped supplies of cash, fuel and medicines in state hospitals.
"Apex feels that its not conducive to take
action," Cecilia Alexander, Apex Council's chairwoman told Reuters.
"The situation is volatile and polarised and the
action we take may be hijacked for issues which have nothing to do with
labour."
Unions have traded accusations of being paid by the
opposition and donors to go on strike and cause violence.
A three-day strike called by another union from Jan. 14
over a sharp fuel price hike by President Emmerson Mnangagwa turned into
violence and looting. Rights groups say at least 12 people were killed but
police say only three died.
The events of the past two weeks exposed the instinctive
heavy-handedness of security forces, leading many to say that Mnangagwa is
reverting to the strongarm tactics used by his predecessor Robert Mugabe, who
was removed in a coup in 2017.
Teachers, who make the biggest bloc in the 305,000 civil
service, will walk out from their jobs on Feb. 5, the biggest teachers union
has said.
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