TEACHERS NOT THROWING IN THE TOWEL

MANZINI – Seemingly, teachers are not ready to abandon their proposed strike action over the cost-of- living adjustment (CoLA).

This, after some members of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) General Council (GC) revealed that in their branches, teachers feel that calling off the strike action could be an unpopular decision. The SNAT GC members revealed this during their meeting which was held at SNAT Centre yesterday, which was a build-up gathering to today’s mass extraordinary general meeting to be held at the same venue. Insiders revealed to this publication that according to the GC members, the general membership of SNAT was aware that they could face serious consequences if they decided to go ahead with the proposed strike action.

“As a result, the GC members asked the national executive committee (NEC) to highlight all possible consequences which they can face if they go ahead with the strike,” the insiders said. They said this could help the teachers to make an informed decision during their meeting today, as they were keen to pursue their fight for 2018/19 CoLA. Furthermore, the insiders said there was also a suggestion that if teachers decide to abide with the court order and wait for November 23, 2018, the NEC should lead them in organising activities to be held at least weekly as a build-up to the new date.

Again, the inside sources said the GC also suggested that if the status quo remains, the entire plus or minus 14 000 members of the teachers’ association should not partake in the upcoming internal and external examinations. “The suggestion is that SNAT members should not participate in setting, invigilation and marking of both the internal and external examinations,” they said. In fact, the insiders said the proposal was that all SNAT members should boycott and disrupt the examination process. According to the sources, the teachers proposed that they should not allow any other people to do their job during the examinations. 

Above all, the sources further said the meeting noted that the court ruling was that the proposed strike action was legal, but overstepped by postponing it. Meanwhile, SNAT outgoing Secretary General Zwelithini Mndzebele, said yesterday’s meeting was a preparatory gathering for today’s discussions.

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