University lecturers begin strike

By Tererai Karimakwenda
28 February 2007

The need for better salaries and working conditions which led doctors, nurses, teachers and some civil sectors to strike has caught on among University lecturers at the three main state universities who announced on Wednesday that they too were walking out. James Mahlaule, president of the Association of University Teachers (AUT) said the strike began on Tuesday and would go on until their demands are met.
The lecturers have tried for years to strike a deal with government and several promises have gone unfulfilled. The strike involves lecturers at the University of Zimbabwe in Harare, the National University of Science and Technology in Bulawayo and Gweru’s Midlands State University.
Junior lecturers currently make Z$431,000 per month and are asking for an increase to Z$1,7 million. Professors are asking for Z$3 million per month. A housing and transport allowance equal to 50% of the proposed salaries is also on the list of demands. The AUT said lecturers would conduct sit-ins in their classrooms.
The strike comes a week after schoolteachers returned to work for the first time since early February. They called off their strike action after accepting a pay deal from government which some teachers were not happy with but were forced to take because they were desperate and because of the intense intimidation.
In other related news junior doctors who had been on strike for about 10 weeks are reported to have agreed to return to work Thursday. The terms of the agreement reached with government have not been disclosed.