Indeed 16 April marked a great leap forward in the history of Tertiary Institutions’ clamour for fair labour practice in Zimbabwe. The University of Zimbabwe lecturers merely reiterated the importance of restoration of the purchasing power parity of their salaries as of October 2018. This is a broad consensus in Zimbabwe, that teachers, among other things, are also demanding. There is nothing as callous as reducing the salary of lecturers from more than US$2500 to US$250 per month. Such monumental injustice can never be accepted in a modern country, 45 years after independence.
The concerted action resurrected the combative spirit of the Association of University Teachers (AUT) under the leadership of Philemon Chamburuka. At a time when labour centres have been weakened by erosion of labour density, fragmentation and austerity measures in the country, the action gave hope for building a credible labour movement in Zimbabwe.
Fundamentally, Universities must lead in crafting and instituting best labour practices, and when they lag behind, the whole country catches a cold. Globally universities have contributed immensely in generating research that guide astute decision making in all sectors of the country. Informed labour decisions that are a product of research and logical disputation are crucial in molding fair labour practice, industrial harmony and productivity.
We, therefore, salute the resolute action by the AUT in raising awareness in the country, region, continent and globally that the workers in Zimbabwe cannot be constantly fed on a diet of starvation, timeless promises and monumental injustice. We condemn outrightly the heavy handedness with which the police responded to lecturers’ legitimate cause and arrested 3 AUT leaders. We urge all other Universities in Zimbabwe to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem. Lecturers from other Universities cannot continue to stand on the touchline to watch a game they should be playing. Spontaneous industrial action across all universities could add traction to the cause of all lecturers in Zimbabwe. The assumption that Universities operate as autonomous institutions is useless when it comes to salaries of the University lecturers in Zimbabwe that are determined by central authority. An umbrella mother body of all University Associations can in the long run add weight to clamour for better salaries and conditions of service of university lecturers in particular, and all workers in Zimbabwe in general. University lecturers’ research must exude throughout Zimbabwe and foster trade union vibrancy and solidarity in an era where capital and labour are increasingly becoming strange bed fellows. An act of unfair labour practice anywhere, is a threat to fair labour practice everywhere in Zimbabwe. As Ptuz, we envisage a United Front and action by all underpaid workers in Zimbabwe. That can send a clear message to employers that we are workers and not slaves, with responsibilities to our families and universally guaranteed rights to earn decent salaries in line with our qualifications, years of experiences and responsibilities.
Venceremos
Dr Takavafira M. Zhou
(Ptuz President)