A union spokesman in Zimbabwe says teachers at state run schools are planning to strike Wednesday, primarily over demands for better pay.

The Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe is calling on the government to increase teacher salaries from $200 a month to $500.

The union also wants the government to review housing and transport allowances for teachers, and to put an end to political violence against them.

Zimbabwe's finance minister says there is no money available for salary increases.

Minister Tendai Biti says the government must conduct an audit to determine if thousands of teachers on government payroll actually exist.

The union wants the audit results made public. Union officials say they believe about a third of the teachers on the payroll are “ghost workers.”