(TALKZIMBABWE) Biti behaved like Father Christmas, says teachers' union
Biti behaved like Father Christmas, says teachers' unionRalph Mutema
Mon, 27 Jul 2009 07:54:00 +0000
THE Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe has slammed Finance Minister Tendai Biti for failing to recognize the importance of teachers in his latest mid-term budget statement.
In a statement released to the Zimbabwe Guardian PTUZ said they "feel highly disturbed that the Minister of Finance presented the Mid-term Fiscal Policy without engaging teacher unions."
The union, which is an affiliate of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions said Biti behaved like "Father Christmas" giving 'handout' to teachers.
"We do not tolerate the doctrine of state paternalism where government behaves as Father Christmas.
"Teachers are not children of the government; they are partners who should be consulted whenever decisions which affect them are being made," read the statement.
The militant teachers' union said the additional USD150 million budgeted by Biti for government is "unacceptably too low".
"The decision to convert the allowances into salaries with scale differentials is against the concept of shared misery. This will advantage those in managerial posts ... and disadvantage the majority of workers like teachers who had no hand in the collapse of the economy."
PTUZ demanded that all civil servants should be paid an "equal and deductible allowance" to help cover medical and other policies and to raise them above the Poverty Datum Line (PDL).
"In line with the doctrine of shared misery, we demand that all public servants be paid an equal and deductible allowance for the purposes of funeral and medical policies up to a time when government can pay salaries above the PDL."
The Union also called on the Minister of Education, Sport, Art and Culture, David Coltart to implement Article VII clauses 7.1 (c) and (e) where the minister agreed to either reinstate or reappoint teachers who left the profession due to economic and political circumstances.
The teachers who sought reappointment have remained unpaid since February 2009.
"They are now being 'charged' and getting 'fired.' After these rituals, they are asked to reapply, undergo 'security vetting' and 'medical examination'.
"Imagine teachers who ran away from violence being asked to do all this. They are now suspected criminals and suspected ill persons," read the statement issued by Raymond Majongwe, PTUZ Secretary General.
Labels: BUDGET, TEACHERS, TENDAI BITI
posted by MrK @ 12:09 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home