TEACHERS' PAY INCREASE FALLS SHORT OF DEMANDS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000906 SIPDIS SIPDIS NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR B. PITTMAN USAID FOR L.DOBBINS AND E. LOKEN ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/04/2017 TAGS: PHUM ELAB PGOV ZI SUBJECT: TEACHERS' PAY INCREASE FALLS SHORT OF DEMANDS Classified By: Poloff Scott Higgins, reason: 1.4 d -------------- Teachers' Strike Brings Schools to Standstill -------------- ¶1. (U) On October 4, Zimbabwe Teachers' Association (ZIMTA) called off a three-day strike that had brought the country's public school system to a halt. The Civil Service Association Apex Council, which represents all civil servants, including teachers, accepted on October 3 the government's offer of Z$14.8 million (about US$30 at the parallel market rate) as the minimum wage for teachers. The lowest paid teacher had been earning Z$2.6 million (about US$5) before the increase. The new minimum wage for teachers, which is still below the Z$16.7 million (about US$33) poverty datum line (PDL),is not pegged to the PDL and will quickly be overtaken by soaring inflation. -------------- Ending Strike Is A Split Decision -------------- ¶2. (C) ZIMTA President Tendai Chikowore (who also currently serves as the chairperson of the Apex Council) told us on October 3 that ZIMTA leadership decided to tell its 55,000 members to go on strike on October 1 after weeks of futile negotiations with the government. Chikowore said "in reality many teachers were not reporting to work already because daily transportation costs were more than a day's wages." Chikowore told poloff on October 4 that she accepted the Z$14.8 million offer even though it was less than demands and not linked to the PDL because she felt it was important to immediately get teachers "some relief" from worsening economic struggles -- even if it carried them for just a few months. ¶3. (C) Chikowore also said that she had met with Labor Minister Nicolas Goche just before coming to see us on October 3. He told her that the strike had been discussed at the October 2 cabinet meeting and all ministers agreed that teachers and other civil servants were woefully underpaid, and something needed to be done. However, he warned Chikowore that after the strike was settled ZIMTA leadership should be careful not to abuse the considerable influence it wields over teachers by calling for any more "politically-motivated" actions, including influencing teachers to vote against the ruling party in coming elections. ¶4. (C) Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) Secretary General Raymond Majongwe told us on October 4 that SIPDIS he was disappointed in ZIMTA, which is commonly seen as the more "government-friendly" of the two unions, for calling off the strike so quickly. He said the government's latest offer was far below the Z$18 million PTUZ was demanding as well as the Z$16.8 million ZIMTA was seeking. Additionally, Majongwe felt it was not ZIMTA's strike to call off. PTUZ had started the labor action on September 11 with a "go-slow" before escalating to a full "strike" on September 26. Majongwe added that he was currently consulting PTUZ's 17,000 members before deciding whether to tell teachers to return to work. -------------- Comment -- Nothing Left to Chance -------------- ¶5. (C) The widespread participation in the strike, and fear HARARE 00000906 002 OF 002 it could embolden other civil servants, clearly made the government nervous. After weeks of stalling in negotiations, the government quickly came up with a larger offer once ZIMTA piggy-backed on the PTUZ strike. Goche's stern and direct warning to the ZIMTA leadership, normally supportive of the government, shows that the ruling party is not willing to leave anything to chance for 2008 elections. End Comment. DHANANI