The Zambia National Union of Teachers (ZNUT) has written to government requesting it to withdraw the cabinet circular that seeks to punish teachers who recently went on strike and withhold their salaries.
ZNUT General Secretary Newman Bubala disclosed that his union is seeking redress from government over the circular which seeks to punish the workers over the strike action which government described as illegal.
Mr Bubala disclosed this during a ZNUT extra ordinary national executive council meeting held in Siavonga over the weekend.
Cabinet office circular number 9 stipulated that all public service employees ,whether classified as essential workers or not, who were absent from duty without leave, should not be paid a salary for the days they were absent.
Mr Bubala, however, said the punishment of any teacher by government will be wrong and contrary to finished negotiations that allowed teachers to get back to work.
“ZNUT has written to government demanding the withdraw of the circular because the matter was discussed and resolved during the negotiations. We believe that punishment of any teacher will only provoke the situation that has since normalized,’’ he said.
Mr Bubala however stated that his union will not protect individuals that were reported to be inciting teachers not to resume work.
He said the union has since identified about 21 ring-leaders that gave themselves a mandate to instigate teachers to refuse the 15 per cent salary increment.
“We want government to act on certain individuals whom we have identified as being the ones that were inciting and instigating teachers to refuse the 15 per cent which was awarded to them, ” he said.
And ZNUT president Henry Kapenda assured his members that the union is making follow ups with government on other issues that were not tackled in the negotiations such as rural hardship and housing allowances among others.
Mr Kapenda, who described the just-ended negotiations as one of the toughest, said he is hopeful that government will listen to the union demands for the increase in payment of allowances.
On rural hardship allowance, the union president said the problem came from provincial and district heads who failed to submit to government correct information on which schools were entitled to the allowance.
Mr Kapenda also castigated those calling for the formation of another union, saying Zambia at the moment needed to have only one strong teachers’ union that would speak for all teachers.
He said bargaining for improved conditions of service normally becomes difficult with so many unions because they fail to speak with one voice.
The national council meeting also confirmed the appointments of Roy Mwaba as union Vice President, Newman Bubala as General Secretary, and Catherine Chinunda as Deputy General Secretary.
ZANIS
Sounds good, but “He said the union has since identified about 21 ring-leaders that gave themselves a mandate to instigate teachers to refuse the 15 per cent salary increment. “We want government to act on certain individuals whom we have identified as being the ones that were inciting and instigating teachers to refuse the 15 per cent which was awarded to them, ” he said.” is misplace or in very bad faith too.
Let GRZ just do the needful which is to improve the service conditions.
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Psalm 119 + KJV Bible:
98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.
99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.
100 I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy…
Good news.
Please dont punish them.
Without level headedness we may resurrect sleeping ghosts(STRIKES). You appealed to them to resume and they did, so what is the problem there?
What is this nonsense by MMD. Is that how they will be resolving the problems, through threats and punishments. While they earn millions for doing nothing, they want people who work hard but earn very little not to complain. They should be ashamed of themselves. These are all signs of dictatorship RB wants to introduce.