"We Know We Are Supposed To Be Getting US$1,000" - Teachers
The Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) has called upon the government to increase teachers’ salaries saying they were supposed to be getting a salary of US$1000, but they have been receiving less than half of that amount. The association is calling on the government to increase teachers’ salaries to at least US$700 to improve their living standards.
ZIMTA’s secretary-general, Goodwill Taderera, told NewsDay that this demand is in line with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s promise to improve teachers’ welfare. Taderera stated:
Right now, we know that we are supposed to be getting upwards US$1,000, but teachers have not been able to get even half of that.
We hope that this time around, the government will meaningfully improve our salaries by giving us at least US$700.
Our last proposal was US$800 and we appreciate how the government involves us during social dialogue. We hope the government (continues) to prioritise social dialogue that will yield positive results.
Taderera also highlighted the need for non-monetary incentives, which have been discussed but have not been implemented. He stressed that paying salaries in US dollars would be the best approach. He added that ZIMTA has written to the government, requesting a seat at the negotiating table, but they have not received a response.
Since 2019, teachers, doctors, nurses, and other government workers have periodically gone on strike to demand that the government restore their salaries to the levels they were before October 2018, which were around US$500. The government started paying salaries in Zimbabwean dollars after the reintroduction of the local currency in June 2019. Initially, authorities claimed that the Zimbabwe dollar was equal to the US dollar. However, over time, the value of the local currency decreased, leading to a decline in workers’ salaries. As a result, some workers chose to resign and seek better job opportunities abroad.
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