Some civil servants’ unions have declared that their members won’t accept the government’s $100 offer as compensation for non-payment of June salaries.
Professional Educators’ Union of Zimbabwe president, Wilson Makanyaire, said his members felt that the offer is an insult to civil servants as it would be wiped out by bank charges and some monthly expenses.
“That’s an insult to the teaching fraternity. Currently we are consulting teachers to find out whether they agree with this. The words we are hearing ... from teachers, (is) that they don’t want to see anything short of their total amounts in their accounts,” Makanyaire said.
He said that if the government wanted to give them the $100 each, they would reject it as they want their salaries in full, or they will embark on an industrial action.
“What we are appealing to teachers today is irrespective of a union a teacher belongs to, non-affiliate or affiliate to unions, we must join hands and clearly go for a strike,” said Makanyaire, adding that their members won't report for work after July 1st.
Takavafira Zhou of the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe also said their members have rejected the offer.
The Zimbabwe Teachers Association, Zimta, told the state-controlled Herald newspaper that its members were "very angry and were ready for anything".
Zimbabwe Rural Teachers Union also said for rural teachers, the $100 would be eroded by expenses like transport costs.
The government failed to pay June salaries due to lack of funds.