A massive civil servants strike was called from the 16th of January 2012 by the Apex council, a body uniting public service employees in the country, namely the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ),Zimbabwe Teachers Association(ZIMTA),College Lectures Association of Zimbabwe(COLAZ),Public Service Association (PSA) and the Teachers Union of Zimbabwe(TUZ) among others.
The strike was so advanced that at a labour forum organised by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union at Raylton Sports Club in Harare on the 20th of January 2012, workers began to moot the concept of a General Strike and demonstration to be called on the Friday the 26th.Howevere at the beginning of the week, Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) Minister of Public Service, Lucia Matibenga initiated negotiations which she had snubbed the week before. Credit must be given to the public service employees who remained resolute.
The meeting between government and the public service employees came out with a shameful and paltry US$7 insult as top up for civil servants salaries. In shock the workers saw the trade union bureaucrats vacillating and amidst confusion the strike is continuing albeit weak, betrayed and directionless.
In cases like this it becomes paramount for left comrades to encourage the striking workers forward through direct solidarity in marches, leaflets and newsletters and to expose the traitorous trade union bureaucrats in its evil alliance with an uncaring government of questionable legitimacy. Solidarity Forever.
Vladimir Mashayamombe
http://isozim.blogspot.com
