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Tucta still mulls proposed strike
2008-08-23 11:17:24
By Hannah Mwandoloma
The Trade Union Congress of Tanzania (Tucta) yesterday declared that if the government`s promise would not be fulfilled by September 3, it would issue a 14-day notice and thereafter call for a countrywide strike.
Tucta secretary-general Nestory Ngulla told reporters in Dar es Salaam yesterday that under the Employment and Labour Relations Act of 2004, they had the right to strike in demand for their wage increase arrears, miscellaneous allowances and other outstanding dues.
Ngulla`s statement came barely a day after the workers` umbrella body postponed the planned nationwide industrial action that was slated for next Monday.
On why they had changed their stance, Ngulla said President Jakaya Kikwete was misinformed on the matter because the trade unions’ body had followed all procedures that would legalise the strike.
Referring to President Kikwete`s speech, Ngulla said it was untrue that they had disregarded the required procedures. He said whoever briefed the President about the strike had misled him.
In his speech, Kikwete declared the strike illegal because the umbrella body had violated procedures when it called the strike.
Ngulla said Tucta had consulted Labour, Economic and Social Council (LESCO) as it was the right organ for them to give notice to, under the labor Act of 2004, noting that they gave a 30-day notice before announcing the proposed strike.
Early this month, Tucta announced that all public servants would stage a protest over pay delay starting August 25.
Meanwhile, Teachers Trade Union (TTU) deputy general secretary Ezekiah Oluoch has said that Tucta and TTU were two different organs hence their moves also differed.
He said TTU had its own mechanisms of doing things and their planned strike would remain intact as it had been previously announced.
According to Oluoch, more than 112,000 teachers across the country will strike over pay on October 14 as planned.
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