Representatives of civil servants met with Government
negotiators on Friday under the auspices of the National Joint Negotiation
Council (NJNC) where the workers assented to the new pay deal.
Leaders of the main teacher unions told The Sunday Mail
yesterday that after agreeing to the offer, they have engaged the Government
over the suspension of teachers who failed to report for duty when schools
opened last week. This comes as the Government has started investigating the
suspended educators, with disciplinary hearings for those accused of misconduct
set to begin this week.
The largest teacher representative body, Zimbabwe Teachers
Association (ZIMTA), has directed its members to go back to work.
ZIMTA secretary general Mr Goodwill Taderera said yesterday:
“We just had a virtual meeting and our members are ready to report for duty.
“Those of our members who are already at their work
stations, occupying school residences, will report for duty without delay. We
have noted that there are some teachers that are genuinely incapacitated.
“So, we will definitely be engaging the Government over the
issue of suspensions. On Friday at the NJNC, we agreed to the offer that was
tabled by Government. We, however, asked them to be lenient with the suspended
teachers since they were incapacitated.”
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe president Dr
Takavafira Zhou said their members will also report for duty.
“We sent a circular to our members and we are still
receiving feedback,” said Dr Zhou.
“However, from the reports that we have been getting,
members are willing to start reporting for duty.
“Some of the issues on the salary offer package are noble,
but there is need for clarity on implementation.
Director of communications and advocacy in the Ministry of
Primary and Secondary Education Mr Taungana Ndoro, said the actual number of
teachers suspended will only be known after investigations and disciplinary
hearings are completed.
“When the suspensions were announced, investigations
commenced and they are underway,” he said.
“Disciplinary hearings will then follow thereafter. There
are teachers who were absent at schools because they had gone for marking, on
sick or maternity leave among other valid reasons, those will be exonerated.
“So, in a couple of days after investigations and
disciplinary hearings we will know the exact number of suspended teachers.”
The Government last week awarded its workers a new
remuneration package that includes a 20 percent pay increment backdated to
January 1, US$100 cash allowance which is converted from the employees’ local
currency salary component.
Other non-monetary benefits include payment of school fees
for up to three biological children with an upper limit of $20 000 per child.
In addition, the Government also undertook to construct 34
000 houses for public sector workers over the next five years. A joint
communique released after Friday’s NJNC meeting, states that all parties were
in agreement to the pay package review. The NJNC is the body under which the
Government discusses conditions of service with its workers.
“The workers side made the following pleas for Government
to consider: bringing back the effective date of implementation of the US$100
package pay date from March 1 to January 1, 2022; not taking action against
teachers who fail to report for duty.” Sunday Mail
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