Teachers Unions call for teachers safety during election period

By Tendai Chisiri

Although everyone is in the madness of political campaigns, teachers unions are requesting politicians and activists to stay away from schools and educators.

In a press release, Zimbabwe Democratic Teachers Union (ZDTU) and Zimbabwe National Educators Union (ZINEU) jointly pleaded that schools should be a no go area for political parties.

“We acknowledge that we are in the madness of political campaigns. We request all politicians and activists of every shade to stay away from schools and educators”, read the joint press relase.

“We say this in the wake of the recent attempts by some political actors to politicize the murder of Mandivei M Jacqueline of Budiriro 4 Primary School by falsely claiming that she was a victim of political assassination when those of us who worked with her know well that she was just a teacher and a mother with no involvement whatsoever in party politics. We reiterate that schools are a no go area for political parties”, added the press release.

ZDTU and ZINEU also bemoaned the remunerations they get which are leaving them incapacitated.

” Our unions organize in the education sector and wish to deliver our stand on the current silence on COLA, funeral insurance and medical aid”, read the press release.

“On COLA, we are disturbed with the employer’s silence on negotiations for a long overdue cost of living adjustment. This is in spite of several correspondences by our Confederation requesting the employer to convene an urgent NJNC. Our salaries have since been eroded by inflation and we are struggling to survive”, decried the teachers

“The ZWL component of our salaries has all but disappeared due to increased deductions by funeral insurers and medical aid societies among other deductibles. We demand that an NJNC be convened immediately to address this dire situation. We are incapacitated right now and are failing to dispense of duties as should be”, read the press release.

They also noted of a propensity to increase premiums by the funeral assurance companies to levels that are disproportionate with teacher’s earnings and that without any due consultation with the individual members many of whom are being left with no earnings at all.

It is in their position that any such increase in premiums be only effected with the express consent of the member as should be.

“The situation at PSMAS and PSMI has thrown our members to the mercy of third part healthcare entrepreneurs who are fleecing the fund leading to huge co-payments on members that are in the most part beyond our reach”, said the teachers unions.

“We are aware that this is a direct result of disturbances in the governance of PSMAS who should be allowed to hold their AGM forthwith so that sanity can be restored”, noted the press release.

“The employer must stop using muscle to unilateral make decisions on the future of PSMAS while ignoring it’s owners, the workers. We challenge the employer to show us any documentary proof giving them the right to make decisions on PSMAS without consulting its members”, argued the teachers unions.

“We also request the employer to be compassionate and collaborate with workers towards normalizing the situation at PSMAS. Many of our members are dying silently due to failure to pay for expensive treatment”, added the teachers’ unions.

“Finally , we aware that the Solar Project announced by the Commission is already benefiting shefs. All none monetary schemes must be accorded to all civil servants regardless of rank”, read the press telease

They are urging the authorities to dialogue honestly with the workers and prioritize their welfare if they are to deliver on the President’s 2030 agenda. Teachers can’t deliver His Excellence on a empty stomach, they pointed out.