Govt Deducts “Incapacitated” Teachers’ Salaries

National

The Government has deducted salaries for teachers who did not report for duty in February as part of the no work no pay policy.

 

Thousands of teachers failed to report for duty for the first two weeks after schools reopened on 7 February citing incapacitation.

 

Public Service Commission (PSC) Permanent Secretary Jonathan Wutawunashe confirmed the deductions. He said:

It is true that Government is serious about the no work no pay principle because it is the only one that is fair to those who show up at work.

 

There’s no justice and there is no logic in treating the civil servant who reports for duty the same way you treat the one who does not show up.

 

One of the most important facts to remember is that Government had moved to implement an agreed upward adjustment to salaries and has also extended a number of benefits significantly the maintenance of the US$75 plus COVID-19 allowance and the introduction of the additional US$100, making it US$175 for every civil servant.

 

There were other benefits so it was important for civil servants to report for work knowing that their issues were being addressed through very significant interventions.

 

It was important for civil servants to be responsible and show up for work.

 

And indeed, one hastens to add that the majority of civil servants did report for work.

 

Zimbabwe Teachers Association (ZIMTA) chief executive officer Sifiso Ndlovu said that the PSC deducted between $11 000 and $17 000 from teachers.

 

Wutawunashe said the Government will continue to address civil servants’ grievances through negotiations. He said:

 

Government is always looking for ways to improve the conditions of service including salaries.

 

There are, of course, accepted channels for doing that and it is through negotiations between the workers’ representatives and Government in the context of the National Joint Negotiating Council.

 

You will notice that all the engagements between the Government and the NJNC in the past three years have always produced improvements.