Teachers to be charged for strike

Teachers took heed of the call for the strike while other civil servants were reportedly on a go-slow at their stations.
Civil servants were pressing for a salary increase of up to $538 from $253 given to the least paid worker as a basic salary.
Their argument was that their salaries should be in line with the Poverty Datum Line (PDL), which is $538.
The Government, after a series of National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC) meetings with representatives of workers, ultimately awarded them increases ranging between $43 and $58, which would see the lowest paid worker getting $296 per month.
Less than two weeks after civil servants’ representatives accepted the salary increase, the PSC, through the Performance Audit and Inspectorate Agency, wants to charge those who went on strike.
The circular reads in part: “Could you please supply names of staff members who were on industrial action in your schools from 19 January 2012 to 1 February 2012. The lists should be submitted to the Chief Provincial Inspector’s Office by Friday 10 February for onward transmission to the PSC.”
The circular requires one to state full names, the ministry they fall under, department, station, full names of the worker, Employment Code Number, designation, dates when they went on strike and names of the head of station.
Although the president of the Apex Council, an umbrella body of all civil servants, Mrs Tendai Chikowore, could not be reached on her mobile phone, teachers’ representatives said they would not be intimidated by their employer’s decision.
They said they were ready to face the consequences and would fight on behalf of their members to the end.
The representatives said the PSC was using “primitive and militaristic” methods of handling issues.
The Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association (Zimta) chief executive officer Mr Sifiso Ndlovu said none of their members would be victimised.
“We await the action they would take. We are ready to go to the wire on behalf of our members and we will fight against their victimisation,” said Mr Ndlovu.
“We think the employer should carry out their own audit of the strike.”
He urged Zimta members not to be afraid and said they should forward their names in their thousands because the strike was legitimate.
“To us this would be a way to confirm the strike. Everyone, the public and the Government knows there was a strike and there is no reason to fear because more than 50 percent of our members participated.
“We encourage them all to write their names because we went on strike for a cause after seeing that nothing was being done about the financial injustice, which was supposed to be negotiated. The fact that the Government awarded some money means that the strike was genuine,” said Mr Ndlovu.
The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary-general, Mr Raymond Majongwe, said the development was an abuse of authority by the PSC.
While Zimta encouraged members to forward their details, Mr Majongwe urged members of his organisation not to do so.
“Now we can see the nature of people we are dealing with and we want to state it clearly that this is an abuse of authority by the employer. They are benefiting from our services and it is unfair for them to say they want to charge those who went on strike,” he said.
“The strike was known by the Government and we are going to fight and we will take the PSC to court on that issue. We urge our members to refuse to forward their details because there is no reason to do so.”
Contacted for comment, the Deputy Minister of Public Service, Andrew Langa, confirmed the circular.
He said it was unfortunate that civil servants were finding themselves in that position because they knew the strike was illegal.
“The one-day and five-day strike by civil servants was illegal because negotiations had not failed.
“Some of them decided to go on strike thereby killing the future of children. It is wrong to put the future of children to ransom and as Government we are happy with those who remained at work,” said Deputy Minister Langa.
He said the kind of action to be taken was up to the PSC.
“It is unfortunate for them, that is why the PSC issued that circular to find out who was at work and who was on strike. We are aware that we are not paying civil servants enough but we should negotiate,” said Deputy Minister Langa.