Zimbabwe Govt, Civil Servants Talks Collapse, Strike Set for Next Week
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Tags: Amalgamated Rural Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe, Apex Council, Civil Servants, Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe
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“Government is not coming out smart on our bonus issue and is also going out on an open attack on us.
We, therefore, urge all our members to join in the demonstration and fight for our cause,” Raymond Majongwe.
WORKERS unions representing teachers and other civil servants Monday endorsed the collective protest that has been set for 6 March, 2017 in Harare Gardens by Apex Council.
In a meeting held at Apex Council offices, members unanimously agreed to goon a demonstration as government has failed to pay workers their 2016 bonuses.
Talks between the government and the Apex Council reached a deadlock Monday.
Government is attempting to impose housing stands as bonus payment whereas unions said they already have programmes underway which are meant to provide stands for civil servants as part of non-monetary incentives.
Last week, Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Prisca Mupfumira postponed talks meant to resolve the impasse as government side-lined the unions and tried in vain to talk with employees directly.
Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) who had embarked on a week-long strike called off their strike Monday to augment the collective Apex Council position.
“ARTZ welcomes this principled and uniting position which comes as unions and unionisms are under attack from overzealous Minister Mupfumira who has embarked on a bogus process to undermine the collective position of workers on 2016 bonus payments.
“All workers are demanding cash for their bonus,” said ARTUZ President, Obert Masaraure, in a statement.
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) President Raymond Majongwe, who is also a member of the Apex Council, added his voice and accused government of taking workers for granted on top of abusing them.
“Government is not coming out smart on our bonus issue and is also going out on an open attack on us. We, therefore, urge all our members to join in the demonstration and fight for our cause,” Majongwe said after the meeting.
