MEMBERS of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers\u2019 Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) who were arrested on Friday were on Saturday granted bail by a Harare Magistrate after spending a night in police holding cells.<\/p>\n
The unionists, who included human rights lawyer Douglas Coltart who says he was mistaken for a protester and beaten was among those who were granted $50 bail each with conditions attached.<\/p>\n
ARTUZ organised the picketing in protests against poor salaries.<\/p>\n
Government is in negotiations with the Apex Council the body that represents all civil servants and last week offered a 76% salary increase that would take the lowest paid government worker to just over $1000 a month far below what is being demanded.<\/p>\n
Civil servants want the lowest paid worker to get the equivalence of US$475 monthly salary.<\/p>\n
Police reportedly wanted the accused to pay $20 fine for criminal nuisance but Magistrate Nyasha Vhitorini ruled that the suspects will appear in court on October 1, 2019.<\/p>\n
Police on Friday morning arrested nine ARTUZ members including its president Obert Masaraure as well as NewZimbabwe.com reporter Leopold Munhende who was later released without charge.<\/p>\n
The teachers were dressed in black as they said were \u201cmourning the deaths of their salaries\u201d which they argue has been eroded by inflation.<\/p>\n
The Apex Council in a statement Friday said it would consult its members on the offer by government. Reports however indicated government has adopted a take-it-or-leave it stance regarding the negotiations.<\/p>\n
A meeting of the National Joint Negotiating Forum at which government representatives meet workers is likely to decide matters.<\/p>\n
Teachers have threatened to withdraw labour before the opening of the third term which could jeophardise examination classes.<\/p>\n
There have been media reports that government is mulling roping in the army as invigilators.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MEMBERS of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers\u2019 Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) who were arrested on Friday were on Saturday granted bail by a Harare Magistrate after spending a night in police holding cells. The unionists, who included human rights lawyer Douglas Coltart who says he was mistaken for a protester and beaten was among those who […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":12864,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,12],"tags":[735,780,55,167],"class_list":["post-12861","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-policy","tag-apex-council","tag-artuz","tag-government","tag-protesters"],"yoast_head":"\n