Civil servants union gives government ultimatum over salaries

By Lance Guma
08 February 2007

The Public Service Association (PSA), one of the biggest trade unions in the country and representing civil servants, has given government up to 23rd February to improve working conditions or face unspecified action. The union placed an advertisement in the Monday edition of the Herald newspaper highlighting their frustrations with government. The threat comes in the face of a similar one from the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) who warned government they will call for a general strike if the demands of workers across the country are not addressed by the 23rd February. The ZCTU said its general council will meet on the 24th February to decide on dates for the industrial action.

The Zimbabwe National Students Union has given 13th February as their deadline for a class boycott over recently introduced unaffordable tuition fees. Itayi Zimunya an advocacy officer with the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition told Newsreel the strikes by doctors and teachers are still in progress while it seemed the majority of nurses had been intimidated to go back to work. Asked why the government seems to be ignoring the strikes, Zimunya said they did not want to be seen to be caving in to the demands of the unions, as this would send unwanted encouragement to the political pressure groups, that protests work. He said the government has money to give funds from the Central Bank to people and organisations with links to the ruling Zanu PF, but cared little about anyone outside their circles.

The authorities have meanwhile responded by launching a crackdown on doctors, nurses, teachers and students going on strike or protesting. Four nurses were arrested after convening a meeting at Harare Central Hospital and addressing 50 nurses, before proceeding to Parirenyatwa Hospital and mobilising fellow nurses to strike. A court on Tuesday dismissed their application for refusal of further remand. Harare magistrate Brighton Pabwe instead gave the state time to amend the charge, which at the time of arrest was wrongly cited using wrong legislation. The four have been remanded out of custody on free bail to February 21st.
Meanwhile sixty junior doctors were fired by government from Harare Central Hospital. The hospitals chief executive officer, Jealousy Nderere, signed the dismissal letters saying the doctors were, ‘discharged from service with effect from 21st January 2007.’ The letter reads, ‘It has been noted that you have not been reporting for duty for a continuous period of 30 days since the 22nd December 2006.’ Doctors want their salaries reviewed from Z$56 000, which is way below the poverty datum line of Z$344 000 per month. The country is reported to have at least 350 junior doctors and close to 800 senior practitioners working for government hospitals.