Government workers, particularly teachers, had threatened to down tools on schools’ opening day on Tuesday if government failed to pay them in hard currency or increase their salaries to at least $3 000.
Moyo said besides union leaders, the meeting would also be attended by Labour, Finance, Primary and Secondary Education, Higher and Tertiary Education ministers and the chairperson of the Public Service Commission.
The meeting comes at a time government has failed to resolve the doctors’ month-long strike over similar grievances.
Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association chief executive officer Sifiso Ndlovu said his union was already consulting structures to come up with a common position ahead of the Monday meeting.
“We are consulting and ready to talk with the employer on issues that affect our membership. We are ready for that important meeting,” he said.
Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe president Takavafira Zhou said although they had not yet been officially invited to the meeting, they viewed it as an attempt to stop the imminent strike.
“We wonder why the employer had to wait until the 11th hour to attend to our issues, when it is very clear that we raised these issues long back?” Zhou said.
“It is an attempt to stop the strike or any industrial action. But we will see how the issue pans out. If they invite us under Apex Council, we will not attend the meeting. That Apex thing is a useless thing, which has a tendency to massage the employer. But if we are called as independent teacher unions, we will attend.”
Apex Council chairperson, Cecilia Alexander was not reachable for comment last night.
