Several Kitwe based School Teachers today staged a peaceful demonstration at the office of the Kitwe District Commissioner to protest over the 15 percent salary increment government has awarded to public workers.
The Teachers had in the early ours of the morning gathered at Rokana Basic School were their union leaders lead by Zambia National Union of Teachers (ZNUT) Branch Chairman Paul Chisenga wanted to brief them on the 2009 collective agreement.
The uncompromising teachers who were chanting political slogans demanded for the removal of all National Executive Members of the three teacher unions who they accused of being compromised and betray them.
The teachers who walked from Rokana to the Boma offices in the city centre claimed that it was an insult for their leaders to have settled for a meager 15% salary increment at a time when the cost of living and poverty levels were so high in the country.
The teachers vowed to continue with the strike if government does not increase the percent given the teachers.
But Kitwe District Education Board Secretary Sackis Mwanga pleaded with the teachers to immediately resume work.
Mr. Mwanga said teachers must immediately resume work because their leaders had already signed for the 15% .
He said Government has decided to allocate all the two billion to Kitwe for clearing fixed band housing allowances while the other towns would be paid later.
Mr. Chisenga s appealed to teachers to immediately resume work so as to prevent themselves from unnecessary problems.
He said all those who will be staying away will do it at their own peril.
Mr. Chisenga also requested the teachers to deal with the National leaders who have betrayed them.
And in Mumbwa , Teachers have lashed out in their District Union representatives whom they have accused of lacking allegiance to the plight of Teachers.
The complaining teachers from three unions, who mostly preferred to remain anonymous, said that the general morale of the teaching fraternity was very low because of the call by their union leaders to end their strike.[quote]
Mumbwa’s Zambia Congress Trade Unions( ZCTU) Chairperson Muyambango Kalaluka had officially announced to the teachers that the unions had signed the 15 percent salary increment offered by Government during a meeting held at Mumbwa high school.
The teachers disclosed that they had passed a vote of no confidence in their union representatives, and that many were planning to stop paying their monthly contributions to the union bodies.
Some alleged that their contributions to union bodies were being abused by union leaders, and that there was need for the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to probe union leaders from BETUZ (Basic Education Teachers Union of Zambia) ZNUT (Zambia Union of Teachers) and SESTUZ (Secondary Schools Teachers Union of Zambia).
One Teacher said that the teaching fraternity would carry on with what he termed as ‘working under protest’, adding that they were not happy with union leaders whom they accused of not consulting members before signing the 15 percent salary increment.
“We will carry on striking spiritually, our morale is low because of our double treacherous union leaders” he commented.
Teachers from SESTUZ, ZNUT, and BETUZ have been on strike since the official opening of schools on 11th May for term 2.
Teachers resorted to strike action demanding for salary increments as well as unpaid allowances such as Rural Hardship and Fixed band for Housing.
ZANIS
Several? Was hoping to hear that all not several. Sad really. Can`t blame them when they turn up to work just to show their faces. No morale no nothing.
The trouble is these union leaders “get” more than their members. When they go to negotiate for better conditions they are saying yes boss to the person they are supposed to be negotiating with so what do you expect.
Iranians are also busy demonstrating!!
So ifyo caba nomba tapali ifikatitika.They are calling it peaceful demonstration pantu abacikulucikulu mu union nababalishamo so ni zee maningi.We have a big problem in zambia because most of our leaders are two faced(hypocrites) and this seems to be a trend in zambia “victims of one generation become perpetrators of the next generation”.Ni kalabana ulye!
+KK had a a heart for the people and that is why he provided free education. This one is a thief and that is why he allows thieves like teta and mulongoti to run the show. Zambians, get rid of these peopleor you will wallw in poverty forever. Don’t forget Teta tols you before LPM died that there was no one better than Maureen Mwanawasa to lead Zambia in 2011. have you asked him whether maureen is dead or not for him to endorse RB/ Peiopl like Teta are very dangerous. They have caused wars in Rwanda and Burundi. Can we please beat teta and Mulongoti up wherevetr we find them bnecause they are telling RB lies and we ahte liars.
#1 u r right the word “several” waters down the story. I wonder whether they where five or six ?
Teachers just withdraw your subscriptions and see what these fat cats will do
I urge teachers to call for the meeting with their national leaders and I think from there they will resolve the way foward – going back for work (THAT IS AFTER FIRING THEM[the so called national leaders]). Other than that I can foresee more problems.
15% is just a drop in an ocean. Please relevant parties resolve this issue and move on, time being wasted will never be recovered.
# 4 shimucita panono you are right nomba bane you need to complete your name, its incomplete
Teachers we are with you please first step fire the National leaders Secondly stop paying your union contribution. With the contribution you can buy Mealie Meal and other things. Your money is being mis-used by these fat pigs. A 150,000.00 increameat is a monkery because this is also taxed. you well find that the increament is just a 25,000.00 after the Tax.
How can one plunge the whole ntemba into darkness for hours just like that?
To be honest 15% is as good as nothing its something like K120,000 increament, one would wonder what came into their heads to sign for such a little increament, that’s an insult really. am sure they were given ma Brown Envelops to sign for that %.
Everything is failing in Zambia.Education,Healthy,Transport,Agriculture,Energy(Zesco/Indeni).Let us rise against mediocrisy,this is the time!
These so called union leaders had a meeting with the man himself at Hippo lodge. they have betrayed their members by signing ka 15%. surely what is 15% of a million, these guys are jokers. shame.
Zamian where the politicians have taken it whole from the peole. The only answer is REVOLUTION 2011.
It is better to be fired for the good cause than stealing,moreover MMD has destroyed the all education system in zambia, a Grade Twelve of today can’t march with those of early 60s and early 90s, so the answer should come in 2011.I’m urging all zambians to also react if these quacks pay themselves midterm gratuity because we hear there is no money in Govt,unless they get from their own sources that we don’t know. Pliz tit for tat
#10 Imiti ikula How are you? Bane nishani kanshi? Did u want me to say shimucita panono bamupokele umukashi?Well then……..ha ha ha ha you are funny!
Its a shame that the “Union leaders” signed the collective agreement without informing their members of the government last offer. But the signing means that the striking workers have to go back to work as agreed by their representatives.
They should not blame the government as negotiations are a “give-and-take” affair hence the need for enlightened union leadership with good negotiating skills.
If the members still feel, then they should met their anger on their union officials or even withdraw from union membership.
My advice is for the union members to push for amendments to the union constitutions so that they National Executive Committee has a maximum period of service. Some union national leaders have overstayed due to per diems and allowances which they cannot get as govt…
bravo
Its time the unions got back to be 1! a house defended falls! Chiluba as a unionist understood that and used it when he became de president……..Do understand y we should have 3 unions fighting for the some cause. Teacher think twice and for real if u dont get the results u have been paying the union leaders for, then withhold ur monies! viva….unionist abash plural unionism!
Shimucita panono apokele njikalafye umukashi J.
Unionism is dead in Zambia courtesy of Fred Chiluba.. It’s now become a conduit for enrichinment by the few whoaspire to be unionists. Shame what a shame
Great stuff from Kitwe teachers people and Mumbwa ones.
I am also sad at “Mr. Chisenga s appealed to teachers to immediately resume work so as to prevent themselves from unnecessary problems. He said all those who will be staying away will do it at their own peril.” as threats have now become the order of the day. I hope this trend will not continue.
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Prevention is better than cure.
# 22. Iyo ni latest ikali bane, I have heard it for the 1st time
Teacher have been urged to go back for work. What about the motivation. These people are demoralized and even when they go back the out put wont be whole hearted. Nangu baye kuncito, imifundile teti ifikepo. Balundileniko nabili.
Some of our leadres are DUAL who do you sign an agreement without consulting the people you are fighting the salary increament ? is there sense issue can someone pump in some sense in these Leaders of ours
Teachers have got the right to Demostrate and no one should deny them. this is a Democratic nation. No one is above the law
VONSE PA ZED NDISHI NIKUDYAMO ? LEADERS.
GIVE WHAT BELONGS TO SIZZA hahahahahaha PA ZED
Ifintu filebipila kofye. Imwe guys mu diaspora mule tandala twapandishanya amano.