Union demands US$1 260 salaries for teachers

Zim Now Writer

The Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe has launched a campaign #MyFairWages, which the Union said seeks to justify teachers’ demands for US$1 260 salaries.

In a statement, Artuz said the Union is also demanding US$180 for health care insurance as part of the basket of US$1 260 monthly income.

“The Union is committed to the wellbeing of the girl child, fighting for her right to menstrual health. Moreover, Artuz denounces the unjust distance between schools and clinics, highlighting how this barrier denies them access to essential healthcare services.

“The Union refuses to accept a system that devalues its members’ lives. The union refuses to back down until the demand for a fair wage is not only acknowledged but fully respected for teachers. Artuz shall engage in weekly campaigns, focusing first on the dire state of the healthcare system during this health week.

“Health care should not be a luxury reserved for a privileged few. When illness strikes, the financial burden should not suffocate teachers, nor should educators be held hostage by exorbitant charges.

“Hospital stays should not should not resemble expensive lodges, bleeding their pockets dry. The Union has seen first-hand the insidious nature of medical aid, with shortfalls so astronomical that they render it useless.

“Members have languished for months, unable to obtain basic necessities like spectacles or hypertension medication as their own health scheme fails the teachers.

“Sadly, teachers have been pushed to private facilities, only to encounter broken machines, insufficient supplies and shortfalls that demand exorbitant out-of-pocket expenses,” Artuz said.

The union recently called off a job strike due to low turnout to its call for action against its employers.

The union also blamed other trade organisations for not standing up for its workers.