June 2012 public examinations in danger as workers threaten to strike

THE June 2012 public examinations are in danger as workers are threatening to strike over late payment of US$420 000 housing allowances by the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council.

Zimsec has yet to implement a court order to pay its 290 workers over US$420 000 in outstanding housing allowances dating back 12 months, although the council is owed US$1,9 million by the Treasury in what amounts to subsidies to keep examination fees affordable. Zimsec still has an appeal pending on the Labour Court ruling to pay allowances.

Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart is now involved in trying to resolve the dispute.

At the weekend he said he held a meeting with some of the board members last week as part of the measures to resolve the impasse.

There are now growing fears that the disgruntled workers are likely to throw into disarray the finalisation and processing of the examinations currently underway as the workers are mooting an industrial action to force management to pay them.

The Collective Bargaining Agreement entered between Zimsec management and workers on June 6 last year by the Works Council was signed as a total package.

All the relevant authorities endorsed the agreement.

A spokesman for the National Education Union of Zimbabwe - a body that represents the workers - Mr Matthius Guchutu yesterday accused the examination body of violating labour laws.

Zimsec, he said, had invited "solidarity" action as it was failing to honour a binding CBA signed between the workers and Zimsec management in June last year.

Efforts to get a comment from Zimsec Board chairperson Professor Norman Maphosa were fruitless as he is out of the country. His deputy Mrs Hilda Shindi declined to comment.

"Professor Maphosa speaks on behalf of the board," she said.

Zimsec public relations manager Mr Ezekiel Pasipamire yesterday insisted the matter was still pending at the courts.

"To us we are still waiting for the court’s decision since the board made an appeal," he said.

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