By Dr Takavafira M. Zhou (Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe President)
Ordinarily there must be constant engagement between the government and its workers and quarterly reviews of their salaries as per agreement in previous meetings. Sadly, the last time the government met its workers over labour issues was in July 2024. This is not only callous and intransigent but also a monument of Zimbabwean labour injustice. Constant engagement and logical disputation between capital and labour yield industrial harmony and productivity. There are so many issues that under normal circumstances must have been addressed by now. Key to all issues is the harmonisation of the National Constitution and subsidiary Public Service Act and Statutory Instruments, and the establishment of a robust collective bargaining chamber in line with section 65 of the Constitution, ILO Conventions 87, 98, 151 and 154. Constant engagement and logical disputation between the government and its employees promotes industrial harmony and productivity. Sadly, labour issues are still locked under an archaic, rusty and obsolete Statutory Instrument 141 of 1997 that promotes collective begging as opposed to collective bargaining. As if that is not enough, the government has even abandoned the consultation process for oppressive generosity in which the cabinet unilaterally determines what civil servants must get, with union leaders called to rubber stamp decisions unilaterally made by the government.
Be that as it may, it is prudent for Unions (both leaders and members) to realise the government’s deliberate attempt to decimate Unions so as to entrench exploitation of workers. Action and reaction are equal and opposite. Workers must rise above feelings of parochialism and mobilise, organize and resist exploitative antics of the government in a collective and united modus operandi. The government evasion of stipulated engagements and review of salaries and conditions of service must be a rallying point among civil servants. The issue of US$540 basic salary that civil servants were earning before October 2018 is a non-negotiable issue as it is unfair labour practice for an employer to lower the salary of employees. Civil Servants must, therefore, demand the restoration of their purchasing power parity. Equally important is 30 % of basic salary rural and hardship allowance, realistic housing allowance (US$300-US$350 per month) and transport allowance (US$120) in line with the patterson system that a teacher joining service stays in two bed-roomed house while a senior teacher stays in three bed-roomed house. The education allowance must be increased to US$100 per month and paid in US$ rather than its Zig equivalent.
While schools are closing next week by no means will the expenses of teachers be on holiday, so likewise with other civil servants. At any rate the second term is a crucial term and it will be unfortunate if government intransigence and prevarication is extended to next term as it will elicit industrial disharmony and action. It is prudent for the government to resolve the impasse over salaries and conditions of service as a matter of urgency. Any further delay will be a powder-keg of Zimbabwe that can explode any time. Civil servants in Zimbabwe are everything, yet they now count for nothing. Teachers manage the most important asset in Zimbabwe, viz, young people, yet they now have been reduced to beggars and scavengers for food. The government must never underestimate the power of hungry, angry and poverty stricken civil servants in their numbers. Civil servants must not continue to agonize, but must mobilise,organize and act for better salaries and conditions of service.
Venceremos