BOFEPUSU disappointed with govt
Oarabile Mosikare | Thursday January 7, 2016 14:59
“The issue of whether Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU) has terminated its affiliation to BOFEPUSU is neither here nor there in our view, and it is immaterial to the current salary negotiation. To the best of our knowledge BOPEU has not written to the Public Service Bargaining Council (PSBC) terminating the acting jointly arrangement as provided for in the constitution of the PSBC, but they have disaffiliated from the federation which are two different things. But even if they could have terminated the acting jointly arrangement at the PSBC,” said BOFEPUSU secretary general Tobokani Rari.
After the membership termination of BOPEU from BOFEPUSU in December, four public sector unions remain as members of the federation. They are Botswana Land Board and Local Authorities and Health Workers Union (BLLAHWU), Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU), Botswana Teachers Union (BTU) and National Amalgamated Local and Central Government and Parastatal Manual Workers’ Union (NALCGPMWU).
“The four unions remaining, BOSETU, BTU, BLLAHWU and NALCGPMWU’s numbers far exceed the required threshold of admittance to the PSBC and as such there is no need of such demands. We find the conduct by the employer as an effort to frustrate the negotiation process and a typical act of bad faith negotiations. Our honest view is that the employer is trying to unnecessarily stall progress of the negotiation process. This is typical and consistent with conduct of the employer over all this years since the PSBC became operational.”
Rari said they are happy though with the fact that parties compromised and arrived at a settlement that has been authenticated into an order of court.
“The milestone achievement is that at least, we are sure that the negotiation process would continue on 18th January 2016 after the verification process.”
On Monday, BOFEPUSU and government reached a settlement agreement after the federation made an urgent court application to the Industrial Court seeking an interdict of unlawful conduct by the Director of Public Service Management. This was after the government party pulled out of the bargaining meetings of the 2016/2017 wage negotiations.
The government had refused to enter wage negotiations, as it believed BOFEPUSU did not constitute to bargain following the withdrawal of the BOPEU from the federation.