TAWU wins

OARABILE MOSIKARE
Staff Writer | Thursday May 2, 2013 00:00

 

The Trainers and Allied Workers Union (TAWU) scored big against government after the Industrial Court directed that the union should be consulted on Levels of Operations (LoO).No order as to costs was made.

Justice Virgil Vergeer ruled that the decision by the government to implement LoO is declared to be a matter concerning conditions of employment of public officers and therefore subject to consultation with TAWU and its members.

'The decision of the government, as it concerns the applicant and its members and in so far as the decision was taken without consulting the applicant and/or its members, is set aside to the extent only that it affects the applicant's members,' Justice Vergeer said.

'The consultations with the applicant, including any agreement that may arise therefrom, shall be concluded as soon as is practicably possible.' Said an excited TAWU vice president, Edward Tswaipe, after the verdict was given:'This shows that consultation is a fundamental right to labour relations.

'That is why government was at pains to file its opposing papers. We hope government will realise that no matter how small or politically insignificant a union is, its rights have to be respected.Our focus now is on consultation.We have released a draft pay structure to discuss with our branches.'

Tswaipe said the consultations involve facilitation by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, Grace Muzila, and the Director of Public Service Management, Carter Morupisi.

The parties will take the views of different constituencies who are members of TAWU during working hours, especially teachers and lecturers who are employed at colleges of education, health training institutions, technical colleges, brigades, Roads Training Centre, Madirelo Trade and Testing Centre and Botswana Wildlife Training Institute.