Teachers were ‘sold out’: TUN

THE Teachers’ Union of Namibia has described the recent agreement between Government and the Namibia National Teachers’ Union (Nantu) to scrap controversial salary increases for teachers as a “betrayal of the highest order”.

It was illogical for Nantu to cancel the previous agreement with Government without there being another agreement in place, TUN Vice President Gregory MacKrill told a media briefing in Windhoek yesterday. “Teachers have been sold out behind closed doors.Those who are supposed to help teachers are now collaborators,” MacKrill said.Nantu’s leadership could not be reached for comment.They were either in a week-long workshop or out in the field arranging tomorrow’s World Teachers’ Day.Two weeks ago, Nantu, supported by TUN, staged a national demonstration to demand the implementation of previously agreed salary increases.But a few hours later, Nantu backed down and reached an agreement with Government to scrap the agreement.The Ministry of Education was given about two weeks to come up with a new proposal that must be accepted by Nantu before it is approved by Cabinet.The new development averted threats of a national strike, as Government promised to improve the salaries of 12 200 teachers in the bargaining unit.The remaining teachers – about 6 300 – are either at management level, under-qualified or vocational teachers not covered by the talks.TUN says Government had its back against the wall but has since escaped from the corner.”While Government was in a tight spot few weeks ago, it is now no longer under pressure, because the agreement has been cancelled,” MacKrill said.He said Government had coerced Nantu into cancelling the first deal – something that underlined TUN’s objection to Nantu’s “incestuous relationship with the Government”.Nantu Secretary General Miriam Hamutenya said earlier that the new developments were a step in the right direction and that the negotiations of the previous month had been suspended until the Ministry of Education tabled a new proposal.A source in Government’s negotiating team said although a deal would be finalised soon, money would only reach teachers after next year’s National Budget was approved by Parliament.TUN’s MacKrill said they were not convinced that any new deal would be good for teachers.He cited as an example the general salary increase of around N$83,50 a month that teachers received five years ago.After deduction of the increased contribution to the pension fund, income tax and Social Security contributions, the increase amounted to N$76,90 for the lowest-paid teacher and N$50,48 for the highest-paid teacher.TUN’s analysis found that the taxes paid by 17 085 teachers increased by 29 per cent, swelling Government coffers by N$182 million.Teachers were taxed around N$14 million on their bonuses alone.On the other hand, Government spent only an estimated N$63 million a year to cover the N$83,50 general increase and 4,14 per cent service bonus.This meant that teachers in fact paid for their own salary increase and the re-instatement of the service bonus, TUN argued.He said TUN was about to take Government to court when Nantu approached the Office of the Labour Commissioner and halted their court plans.Now TUN had to go back to its members to get a new mandate on what to do next.Nantu had always argued that it had no written agreement with Government on the new salary structures and that it was just reminding the State to fulfil its promises.In February, Nantu and the Ministry of Education issued a joint statement in which Government blamed a heavy administrative workload for the delay in implementing the new salary structures and called for patience from teachers.The Ministry promised to increase teachers’ salaries once the funds were made available in the Budget.”Teachers have been sold out behind closed doors.Those who are supposed to help teachers are now collaborators,” MacKrill said. Nantu’s leadership could not be reached for comment.They were either in a week-long workshop or out in the field arranging tomorrow’s World Teachers’ Day.Two weeks ago, Nantu, supported by TUN, staged a national demonstration to demand the implementation of previously agreed salary increases.But a few hours later, Nantu backed down and reached an agreement with Government to scrap the agreement.The Ministry of Education was given about two weeks to come up with a new proposal that must be accepted by Nantu before it is approved by Cabinet.The new development averted threats of a national strike, as Government promised to improve the salaries of 12 200 teachers in the bargaining unit.The remaining teachers – about 6 300 – are either at management level, under-qualified or vocational teachers not covered by the talks.TUN says Government had its back against the wall but has since escaped from the corner.”While Government was in a tight spot few weeks ago, it is now no longer under pressure, because the agreement has been cancelled,” MacKrill said.He said Government had coerced Nantu into cancelling the first deal – something that underlined TUN’s objection to Nantu’s “incestuous relationship with the Government”.Nantu Secretary General Miriam Hamutenya said earlier that the new developments were a step in the right direction and that the negotiations of the previous month had been suspended until the Ministry of Education tabled a new proposal.A source in Government’s negotiating team said although a deal would be finalised soon, money would only reach teachers after next year’s National Budget was approved by Parliament.TUN’s MacKrill said they were not convinced that any new deal would be good for teachers.He cited as an example the general salary increase of around N$83,50 a month that teachers received five years ago.After deduction of the increased contribution to the pension fund, income tax and Social Security contributions, the increase amounted to N$76,90 for the lowest-paid teacher and N$50,48 for the highest-paid teacher.TUN’s analysis found that the taxes paid by 17 085 teachers increased by 29 per cent, swelling Government coffers by N$182 million.Teachers were taxed around N$14 million on their bonuses alone.On the other hand, Government spent only an estimated N$63 million a year to cover the N$83,50 general increase and 4,14 per cent service bonus.This meant that teachers in fact paid for their own salary increase and the re-instatement of the service bonus, TUN argued.He said TUN was about to take Government to court when Nantu approached the Office of the Labour Commissioner and halted their court plans.Now TUN had to go back to its members to get a new mandate on what to do next.Nantu had always argued that it had no written agreement with Government on the new salary structures and that it was just reminding the State to fulfil its promises.In February, Nantu and the Ministry of Education issued a joint statement in which Government blamed a heavy administrative workload for the delay in implementing the new salary structures and called for patience from teachers.The Ministry promised to increase teachers’ salaries once the funds were made available in the Budget.