Govt has capacity to pay US$ salaries
THE Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (Artuz) takes note of the announcement by the government in which indications were made that 2021 bonuses would be paid in United States dollars.
While this is a welcome move as it temporarily alleviates the dire situation workers are in, we are appalled that the bonuses are not capped at the value of our salaries of pre-October 2018.
The payment of bonuses in US dollars vindicates the union’s long-held position that the government of Zimbabwe has capacity to pay its workers in foreign currency, but only lacks commitment.
We, however, take note that this victory could not have been possible without consistent agitation by different groups of society, including war veterans, who recently staged protests calling upon government to address their welfare issues and that of the broader working class. We are encouraged by their actions because they are testimony that there are still some out there who hold sacred the values and ethos of the liberation struggle.
Further we are aware of the machinations of some “yellow” unions who are celebrating this victory and playing public relations for the government as if it’s a product of their fight when we know that true to their collaborationist fashion the government leaked the information to them prior to announcement.
We remain hopeful that they, in future, will repent and give power to truth in the service of their members and the general working class. We urge workers to continuously fight for their welfare and labour justice and never outsource that responsibility to anyone.
As Artuz, we are guided by our resolutions, we are going to be withdrawing our labour starting from today ending on November 27. This industrial action is informed by our consistent calls for the payment of pre-October 2018 salaries and having separate contracts for invigilation that see us being paid in US dollars.
If the government does not address our concerns our industrial action will continue until there is a resolution to the current crisis we find ourselves in. We urge all educators and the broader working class to join us in this fight.
We should not allow the current gimmick by government to bribe us into pacification. Artuz