Teachers to march over union bashing
The General council took a resolution and advised the national executive committee to call all teachers to a march to the TSC offices to demand that it reinstates their leader’s salary for October 2022.
MANZINI – The planned teachers’ march to the TSC Executive Secretary’s Office on Monday will be the start of SNAT’s campaign to fight union bashing tooth and nail.
The Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) is planning to lead teachers in a march to the Ministry of Education and Training, the Office of the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) Executive Secretary to demand the salary of their President, Mbongwa Dlamini for October 2022.
This was announced by SNAT Secretary General (SG) Lot Vilakati during a press conference, which was held at SNAT Centre yesterday afternoon, shortly after the union’s general council meeting.
The press conference was attended by members of the teachers’ union national executive committee, who included Deputy President Bonginkosi Msibi, Deputy Secretary General Mxolisi Ngcamphalala, Organising Secretary Victor Dlamini, Editor Mcolisi Motsa and Sub-Editor Lindiwe Dlamini, among others.
SALARY
The teachers’ union SG said following the fact that their president did not receive his salary for October 2022 and no explanation had been given, they gathered through his bank statement that the employer purportedly processed it and it was deposited in his bank account, but later on, it reversed the payment.
He said the union also noted that this happened despite the fact that their leader had not been called to any disciplinary hearing.
In fact, he said what they were aware of was that the Office of the Under Secretary/Schools Manager in the Ministry of Education and Training had recently informed their president that the alleged misconduct cases – where it is claimed that he was absent from work for 109 days between December 2021 and October 5, 2022 – had been referred to the TSC, following that it was not satisfied with the SNAT leader’s response as to why disciplinary actions should not be taken against him.
The SG said this took place on Thursday October 27, 2022, which was a few days after their president’s pay day, where his salary was supposedly deposited in his bank account, only to be reversed later on. He clarified that so far, no charges had been levelled against their leader.
Vilakati said it was in that regard that they decided to call a general council meeting to discuss the matter and play its role of advising the national executive committee. The general council meeting was held at SNAT Centre yesterday and it was a closed one.
RESOLUTION
During the press conference, the unionist said during their closed meeting, the general council took a resolution and advised the national executive committee to call all teachers to a march to the TSC Executive Secretary’s Office to demand that it reinstates their leader’s salary for October 2022.
“So, on Monday we will meet in Mbabane as teachers and march to the above mentioned office to demand the salary of our president,” the SG emphasised.
He said as a union and teachers, they were not scared of facing charges and they would never run away from such when levelled against them, but mentioned that they want procedure to be followed.
When he was asked what they would do if they do not get the results they expect on Monday (their president’s salary), Vilakati said they would take the legal route and apply to the court to compel the employer to reinstate the salary of their leader.
“This planned march is not only aimed at demanding the salary of the president, but there are other things which we will be doing going forward to fight union bashing,” the unionist said.
On the same note, the teachers’ union Deputy President, Bonginkosi Msibi, said in as much as the topic was their president’s salary, he stated that the bigger picture was that this was a union issue because they believed that there was an ongoing witch-hunt by the employer, which was targeting members of unions, mainly SNAT.
In that regard, the deputy president said that was the reason why on Monday they would march as teachers because an injury to one is an injury to all.
The SG clarified that so far, no charges had been levelled against their leader.