By 
The Movement for Restoration of Teachers Affairs (MORETA) has called on the labour movement in the teaching fraternity to form an alliance as it goes to the bargaining table this year.
The Movement also encouraged trade unions to initiate this year’s negotiations earlier in order to ensure that they were concluded before the 2025 National Budget was completed and presented to Parliament.
MORETA Executive Director, Dr Samuel Mbumba, made the call in a statement issued in Lusaka on Monday.
Mbumba noted that time was ticking to avoid a repeat of what had been happening in the past where trade union had been crowding the bargaining table with government.
He stated that this had been the source of confusion which had deprived teachers from having better conditions of service due to divided interests by individual unions.
“It has been difficult for the unions to effectively convince government for better conditions after the budget has already been concluded and presented,” Mbumba said.
He advised the trade unions to take advantage of the provision of commencing the negotiations at least three months before the expiry of the current collective agreement.
Mbumba reminded all the unions to respect what was enshrined in the laws of the land to avoid taking the laws into their own hands, thereby harming the effectiveness and orderliness befitting the bargaining process.
“We call upon the labour unions to uphold the law and avoid breaking the law which in the past has been breached wantonly where we saw every union going for negotiations a situation which is against the law,” he said.
Mbumba stated that teachers deserved better conditions of service and that the unions should begin to consult their members in time.
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