Civil servants say strike starts Tuesday

Acting public service minister Supa Mandiwanzira pleaded with the restive workers to re-think the strike, saying the salary delay was not “deliberate”.

“We are not doing this deliberately, but the economy’s situation is not good as we are not performing as a country.

“The situation is not new to workers as even the private sector has also failed to pay its workers,” Mandiwanzira told NewZimbabwe.com.

Citing lack of money, government delayed payment of June salaries for the security services by about two weeks, while teachers and health sector workers were told they would only get their wages on July 7 and 14 respectively.

An offer of a $100 advance to help cover transport costs has failed to calm the angry State workers and the Apex Council of Zimbabwe, which represents civil service unions, said they had resolved to go on strike.

Apex chair Cecilia Alexander told reporters at a press conference in Harare that the government must “urgently address the concerns of its workers”, failing which they would go on strike beginning this Tuesday.

This comes at a time government doctors and nurses have also decided to go on strike over the delayed salaries.

“As health workers, we are in solidarity with all other civil servants. The government should act now to avoid disruption in the civil service,” Apex Health Council Chairman Enock Dongo told the same press conference.

Meanwhile, the Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (RTUZ), which is not affiliated to the Apex Council, said its 6,000 members had since stopped reporting for work.

“The Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (RTUZ) is now effectively on strike across the country with its 6,125 strong membership and thousands of other teachers posted in rural stations having stopped to undertake any task associated with their routine work.

“This means that they will not be marking exercise books, will not complete their scheme books and will not supervise pupils at boarding schools.

“On Monday, the teachers will not attend classes ad will also not undertake any duties consistent with their routine work,” the union said in a statement.