Nurses working at clinics run by the Harare City Council embarked on a one-day working week starting on Monday this week.
The nurses said that they can no longer afford the transport costs to report for work.
In a letter directed to the city health department, the nurses reminded the authorities of another letter that they wrote on July 1 which they did not respond to. They wrote:
Since the beginning of this year, nurses have not been able to exercise their mandate of looking after their patients and that of being custodians for their families.
Transport to the workplace, school fees, rentals, prices of basic commodities has multiplied several times against a basic salary that has remained stagnant.
We, therefore, demand payment of our salaries and arrears immediately at the current interbank rate.
Also note that on July 1, 2019, we forwarded a letter of demand to your office, but you did not respond.
While still considering our grievances, let it be known to you that we shall be able to report for duty only once per week from Monday, July 29, 2019 (yesterday).
The nurses reportedly take home between $900 and $1 200 per month.