The Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) has ripped into two rival teacher representative unions accusing them of peddling falsehoods on social media in what reveals deep rooted divisions among the unions on how to handle engagements with government.
Following its meeting with President Emmerson Mnangagwa last week, ZIMTA has been on the receiving end from the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) and the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) who felt betrayed after earlier on agreeing to engage as a unit.
The October 26 meeting did not go down well with ARTUZ and PTUZ as they accused ZIMTA of selling out.
ZIMTA has now hit back, accusing the two unions of only existing on paper without membership.
“Obviously we as a leading professional teacher association in Zimbabwe do not expect much from these briefcase teacher unions cum political parties whose main agenda is to drag ZIMTA’s professionalism into the mud,” said ZIMTA.
“Contrary to what you hear from projects such as Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) with an estimated 100 teachers in their data base and PTUZ which has 15% percent of Zimta’s total membership, ZIMTA is officially the leading trade union of choice professionally delivering on teachers’ needs and welfare issues and practical labour matters. This is on record.
“We are aware of all the hate speech campaigns , lies and misrepresentations about ZIMTA’s engagement with the State President, but we are not moved or irked by ARTUZ and Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe PTUZ’s machinations or other much insignificant rivals aspiring to get to the ZIMTA level of professionalism and skill, Contrary to their actions ours is to encourage them to join us so that we may capacitate them and work with them for the benefit of the Teachers whom they purport to represent,” ZIMTA added.
Teachers in public schools have declared incapacitation since the government began a phased re-opening of schools after a lengthy break due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Teachers are demanding US dollar pegged salaries and Personal Protective Equipment before returning to work.
Meanwhile, the National Joint Negotiating Council will meet today to discuss the new government offer.
