Fellow teachers, our situation is becoming increasingly dire. The government’s brutal austerity measures are directly targeting our livelihoods and the very foundation of our profession. This isn’t just about stagnant salaries anymore; it’s a full-frontal assault on our rights and dignity.
Consider what we’re facing:
1. Job evaluations that demote us: We’re being pushed into lower grades, undermining our professional standing.
2. Vacation leave being scrapped: Our right to rest and recuperate is being eroded, leading to burnout.
3. Pensionable age raised: We’re being forced to work longer with less security for our future.
4. Salaries remain stagnant: Despite soaring costs of living, our pay continues to decline in real terms.
5. Recruitment freezes: This leads to an unbearable increase in the teacher-learner ratio, making quality education impossible and our workload unsustainable.
We’re being demoted, expected to handle heavier workloads, and yet our compensation and benefits are being slashed. This crisis is far bigger than just our paychecks; it’s about the fundamental disrespect for our profession and the critical role we play in society.
This is a direct result of an anti-worker ideology that seeks to dismantle our hard-won rights. We cannot afford to concede these serious losses, betraying the sacrifices of those who fought for the rights we are now seeing slip away.
It’s time to reframe our narrative and demand what is rightfully ours. Our collective power is our greatest asset. We must confront this ideology head-on and seriously demand our right to collective bargaining. Only through unified bargaining can we secure a fair future for ourselves and for the education of our children.
Wherever you are, take a moment to reflect on this crisis. Then, reach out to your colleagues, organize, and discuss how we can collectively stand up against these attacks. Our unity is our strength.
Let’s mobilize and fight back for our rights, our profession, and our future.
CDE Obert Masaraure
+263776129336