HARARE, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe's two main teacher unions said Thursday that they will embark on strike starting Feb. 5 after wage negotiations with government failed, breaking ranks with the rest of the civil service that has decided to give negotiations a chance.
This came after the Apex Council which represents 16 public sector workers' unions, on Wednesday backed down from plans to embark on a national strike citing polarization and the volatile situation in the country.
Apex Council chairperson Cecelia Alexander said most unions felt they still needed to pursue the route of negotiation, fearing that the situation was polarized and that any action they may take could be hijacked by people with sinister motives.
In a joint statement Thursday, the Zimbabwe Teachers Association and the Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe, two unions representing the majority of teachers in the country, said they will go ahead with the strike.
The government has maintained its offer of 300 million dollars to be shared by the workers between April and December but civil servants are demanding much more.
The workers want the lowest paid worker to earn a monthly salary of 1,733 dollars, up from the current 414 dollars.
The civil servants have been negotiating with government for a salary increment since the beginning of this year to cushion them from the rising cost of living.
