HARARE- Some Zimbabwean government doctors who took part in a recent 17-day strike have had almost all of their December salaries docked, a group representing the medical workers said on Friday.
The Zimbabwe Hospital Doctors Association (ZHDA) said that while doctors from Harare’s Central and Parirenyatwa hospitals had been affected, it was still trying to determine if doctors in Bulawayo, who also joined last month’s strike, had their pay cut.
“The money that’s been deducted from their accounts includes part of the basic salary, part of the transport and other allowances,” spokesperson Francis Rwodzi said.
“The maximum amount that was deducted from their bank accounts was $280,” he said.
The doctors only earn a basic salary of around $283, however allowances are added to that.
In a statement, the association slammed the pay cuts – rumours of which had circulated widely earlier this month – as unconstitutional.
“As ZHDA we feel that this move is a direct violation of labour rights and total disregard of the country’s constitution [which guarantees workers the right to strike],”it said.
“The ZHDA is currently engaging with its membership to determine the way forward but all the association’s chapters have said that this is a declaration of war with doctors,” it added.
The doctors had launched a court challenge in anticipation of the pay cuts but the applicationwas still to be heard, said Rwodzi.
“I don’t think any court of law will be able to sanction that,” he said.
