BOPEU Membership Hits 32,000 Mark
Staff Writer | Monday April 25, 2016 15:15
However Motsamai showed appetite for more saying the figures can still grow monstrously, especially taking into account the huge number of public service and parastatal organisations workers who remain un-unionised.
He also observed that BOPEU’s business wings continued to thrive. “Currently we have an Insurance broker, Micro-lending scheme and we recently acquired several small businesses geared towards diversifying the union’s economic outlook. It is envisaged that in the not so distant future, the union would raise its flag high amongst the hotel and tourism players. “
Motsamai was speaking in Selebi-Phikwe on Saturday where BOPEU’s executive leadership, which includes all 12 regions, as well as the leadership of its business wings met for a three-day strategic retreat to formulate BOPEU’s new five-year strategic plan, with emphasis on implementation.
Motsamai said BOPEU’s growth should be viewed as a challenge, and reminded BOPEU leadership that an average member wants better incentives such as a better rate for a mortgage loan, better rates at school fees, better representation and improved condition of service at the workplace.
“Workers’ economic interest should be protected and jealously guarded. Thus it must be among our objectives as we plan for tomorrow to seek to protect collective bargaining as well as using our numbers and resources to enter the free market space to cushion our membership from the economic hardship”.
Motsamai also challenged BOPEU leadership to ensure that BOPEU, through its visionary leadership, becomes a bastion of integrity and democracy. “We should not falter in our public image and deeds. Worst of all, we should never allow ourselves to be captured by anti-working class forces. Hence the need to plan”.