Helen McGhie workers up against US$12 salaries
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SIMBARASHE MTEMBO
MIRROR REPORTER
MASVINGO – General hands at Helen McGhie Primary, one of the leading schools in Masvingo Province are getting ZWL$ 12 000 equivalent to US$12 for their salaries, according to documents in the hands of The Mirror.
The workers have since sent a petition dated July 21, 2022 to the school head, Sheila Deve asking for an urgent meeting. The school has 14 general hands working as groundsmen, drivers, toilet cleaners and security guards and the budget for their salaries for the financial year January to December 2022 was pegged at ZWL$1,1 million. Ironically school fees and other levies have been reviewed and yet salaries have not been looked into since November 2021.
The workers also complained that Deve is misrepresenting information by telling authorities that the workers were being paid in foreign currency when in actual fact they were receiving their salaries in ZWL$.
Efforts to get a comment from Deve were futile.
The workers have since written a letter to Deve dated July 21, 2022 demanding a meeting to review their salaries which have remained the same since November 2021.
The School Development Association (SDA) chairperson, Robert Murimoga said he was away studying and not privy to the matter.
The gazetted minimum salary for school ancillary workers is ZWL$24 000 with living allowances making up ZWL$14 000 according to Statutory Instrument (SI) 43 of 2021.
The SI was put up by the National Employment Council for Zimbabwe Schools Development Associations and Committees in Government and Council run Schools and is with effect from November 1, 2021
The deputy head, Annah Gwidi responded to the workers’ petition.
“With reference to your letter dated July 21, 2022 requesting for a meeting with SDA (employer), I have forwarded the letter to the school head and the SDA chairperson. They have acknowledged seeing the letter,” reads Gwidi’s response.
“The school reserved ZWL$1 million for ancillary workers but they are being treated like dogs. They are denied leave days and have to work every day. Deve is also buying cheap work suits for them. The workers are told to get quotations from Edgars and Halsteds but their uniforms are being bought from backyard outlets in town,” alleged a source.