The Public Service Amendment Bill, currently before Parliament, is being presented as a step toward modernising Zimbabwe’s public service. In reality, it entrenches government’s unilateral control over teachers and strips away fundamental labour rights guaranteed by the Constitution and international labour standards.
Central to the Bill is Section 20, which allows government to impose conditions of service on teachers without meaningful negotiation. This provision renders collective bargaining meaningless.
“Section 20 of this Bill turns collective bargaining into collective begging. It gives government unchecked power to dictate conditions while silencing teachers’ voices.” — ARTUZ President
For years, teachers have been locked in wage disputes where government dictates salaries, often far below a living wage. ARTUZ demands that Section 20 be repealed and replaced with binding collective bargaining mechanisms, where agreements are gazetted into law.
The Bill also gives the Minister broad powers to declare any service “essential,” potentially including education. Such a move would criminalise strikes, effectively silencing teachers from demanding better pay and conditions. This is not only unconstitutional but also violates International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions.
“The Bill gives ministers the power to decide who is ‘essential’ and who is not. Today it is doctors, tomorrow it will be teachers, this is an assault on labour rights.” — ARTUZ Deputy Secretary General
Teachers must retain the right to strike — a tool that has historically forced progress where dialogue fails.
Another worrying aspect is the absence of clear grievance procedures. Teachers who feel unfairly treated by the Public Service Commission (PSC) should have the right to appeal to the Labour Court, not remain trapped in the PSC’s internal bureaucracy. Furthermore, regulations that directly affect teachers, from promotions to leave rights should not be imposed by ministerial decree but be subject to collective bargaining.
The Bill’s failure to provide for maternity and paternity leave, in line with modern labour standards, reflects a lack of commitment to gender equity in the teaching profession. ARTUZ proposes full-pay pregnancy leave, paternity leave, and comprehensive protection against unfair labour practices.
“The absence of maternity and paternity leave provisions shows how out of touch this Bill is with modern labour standards. How can we talk of equity in education when we don’t even protect women and families in the profession?” — ARTUZ Vice President Christine Kayumba.
This Bill, in its current form, is not about reform, it is about control. It is an attempt to silence teachers, weaken unions, and institutionalise low wages and poor conditions. ARTUZ calls on Parliament to reject these regressive provisions and instead align the law with the Constitution, ILO standards, and the lived realities of Zimbabwean teachers.