Zimbabwe - February 9th, 2022

Long live the teachers' national strike in Zimbabwe!
That’s the way forward! Prepare the general strike

Last Monday, February 7th, when a new school period was starting, teachers from all around the country began an indefinite general strike demanding a wage increase. The demand is for a 540 US dollars wage, since over the last years, the wages were totally depreciated by inflation and the devaluation of the currency.

So far, a teacher makes 180 US dollars, at the official exchange rate, which is actually half that in the real exchange rate, the one used every day. This is not enough to pay for the transport to reach to schools, as their unions denounce. That’s why they decided there are no conditions to keep on working. This happens in the midst of a crisis due to the scarcity of food and fuel, while 80% of the population is unemployed and inflation reaches 1600%!

That’s why all the teachers joined the strike. In the schools there is not a single teacher. Even the directives joined the strike, which is very unusual.

Facing the threats of the government telling the teachers to go back to work or else “there will be no pay”, the teachers respond, without backing down, “no pay, no work, strike goes on”.

In the face of this huge struggle and such resolution of the workers, yesterday, Tuesday night, the government offered 20% of increase and rising 100 US dollars the Covid-19 subsidy the workers were receiving, so on March 1 they would collect 176 USD. They also promised a subsidy per child and to give them transport.

But the education workers are studying the offer and haven’t still ended the strike, as they know what the government promises is just crumbs. Their demand of 540 USD is not met and they denounce subsidies will be diluted due to inflation. Besides, the offer is just for this sector and not for all the civil servants, who have been hdemanding the same.

That's why the teachers struggle must succeed. The demand of the teachers is the same as of all the workers across the country. 600 US dollars wage for the whole workers movement!

For setting up committees in the entire country to support the teachers strike!

ZTUC should call now, without any delay, to a national struggle of all the workers.

To end with the inflation, unemployment and hunger wages, LET'S PREPARE THE GENERAL STRIKE!

Correspondent