By staff reporter

The government has fired a union leader, Obert Masaraure, President of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) form employment as a teacher.

Masaraure was informed of the decision in a letter dated 30 March 2024 addressed to him from the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education’s Provincial Education Director for Mashonaland East, Jube Ncube.

“It has been noted that your salary was ceased after you failed to report for duty. You did not, thereafter, come forward to claim your salary or avail yourself to your Head office to advise why you had failed or were failing to report for duty. You have still not reported for work to date. You were thus absent from duty for a continuous period in excess of thirty days without having been granted leave of absence. Through the minute referenced A/126/3C dated 30 May 2014, the Secretary discharged you from the service, in terms of section 63. (e) Of Statutory Instrument 1 of 2000 as amended, with effect from after duty on 24 May 2019 the last day you reported for duty”, wrote Ncube.

Reacting to the dismissal, ARTUZ Secretary General Robson Nikita Chere released a statement accusing government of neglecting the basic rights of workers in Zimbabwe while targeting vocal union leaders to silence civil servants.

“The government of Zimbabwe, in the form of the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education through the Public Service Commission has once again trampled on the basic rights of workers in Zimbabwe by illegally and unilaterally discharging Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ) President from his teaching position. The government employed the usual modus operandi of concocting strange non-existent charges against President Masaraure”.

Chere said government, which had targeted Masaraure had previously docked his salary for over 5 years before terminating his employment, leading to ARTUZ approaching the government to discuss the issue which didn’t come to play with “some powerful force” closing the doors for an engagement.

“The government proceeded to cease the President’s salary for more than 5 years. We naturally pressed for the remuneration of the President only for the government to discharge him from his employment. We on behalf of the Union tried to engage the employer over the issue. Our spirited efforts of engagement were stonewalled as staffers whom we met were hesitant and even afraid of engaging. Some powerful force was apparently leaning on them. Call it duress or undue influence if you like”, said Chere

ARTUZ vowed to fight for the reversal of the “unlawful” letter.

“ARTUZ wishes to categorically and unequivocally reject, here and now, the illegal discharge of the President. We wish to make it clear, as we hereby do, that we will use all means necessary and unnecessary to fight and reverse this monumental injustice. We will leave no stone unturned and no turn unstoned as we claim justice for the President. All legal apparatus have since been activated to correct this illegality. Let it be known that all teachers in particular and all workers in general stand behind and with our Union President against this injustice. We will provide leadership and direction until Cde Masaraure is reinstated and restitution is effected. That is a promise. “We treat the unlawful discharge letter as another just piece of toilet paper have already used it in the rightful ablution facility and flush it to the sewage plant,” he said.

Masaraure adds to a long list of union leaders who have been targeted and dismissed from employment over the past few years.

In March 2018 the Zimbabwe Electricity Distribution Company (ZETDC), a subsidiary of the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA), suspended unionists from the Energy Sector Workers Union of Zimbabwe (ESWUZ) and among them was ZCTU 1st Vice-President Florence Taruvinga. Others werere Admire Mudzonga (President), Gibson Mushunje (the union General Secretary), Ackim Mzilikazi, Stephen Mwoyoweshumba, Tariro Shumba, Given Dingwiza and Johannes Chingoriwo. They were later reinstated after a protracted legal battle.

Zimbabwe Professional Nurses Union (ZPNU) Robert Chiduku, was fired on August 15, 2022, from Gweru Provincial Hospital on allegations of conducting union business at his workplace without the employer’s consent.

In 2022 the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) retrenched 20 workers citing a sharp increase in operational costs amid allegations of victimisation. Among the targeted employees were executives from the workers’ unions who were leading a demand for a salary hike.