The Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) have demanded payment of their end of year bonuses in United States Dollars threatening further incapacitation if the government doesn’t meet their demand.
In a statement today, ZIMTA urged the government to pay teachers’ bonuses in full by end of this month.
“Teachers are demanding that the employer must pay bonus in united states dollars this month of November 2021. Because teachers are sinking deeper into incapacitation each and every day, this is the only way to avert crushing them deeper into poverty and dysfunction.
“The ZIMTA-Ehlekweni Vocational Training Institute Declaration of 06 November 2021, resolved that the employer must pay the 2021 bonuses for educators in full this November to cushion educators against inflation induced income losses,” Read part of the statement.
Meanwhile, teachers also demanded that the government provide for them an easy platform that enables them to access weekly USD 50 from the bureau de change.
This came following hustles to get the USD 50 from bureau de changes across the country.
Most civil servants and individuals who get paid in local currency are reported to spend nights in long queues just to get the precious USD 50.
“In the same declaration, the educators are demanding that government puts in place a facility that enables teachers to access the weekly USD 50 from their individual nostro accounts.
“This has been necessitated by failure of the majority to access their weekly forex allocations availed to them via local banks and Bureau de changes by RBZ. Ultimately, this move will enable educators to access part of their salaries in USD and eventually solve a longstanding grievance from the teachers.” Said ZIMTA.
Teachers are still advocating for the restoration of their 2018 salaries in which they were being paid. US$ 540.