This is according to the union’s secretary-general (SG), Lebogang Phillip. The union executive is meeting from today (Monday) to Thursday to deliberate on various issues affecting the union.
One of the key items will be the union’s future in the federation. Last month, BONU announced plans to quit the federation. It was after the Botswana Land Boards, Local Authorities, Health Workers Union (BLLAHWU), Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU), and National Amalgamated Local Central Government and Parastatal Workers Union (NALCGPWU) or Manual Workers Union approached court and successfully interdicted the Nurses’ Day celebrations.
The unions (BLLAHWU, BOPEU, and NALCGPWU), had wanted to take part in the preparations for the celebrations as they have some nurses in their membership. BONU maintained a contrary position.
BONU, BLLAHWU, and NALCGPWU are under BOFEPUSU. BONU members felt the federation’s leadership could have been given protection on the Nurses’ Day feud. They then recommended that the union should consider leaving BOFEPUSU.
The warring unions recently resolved to amicably engage to ensure that Nurses’ Day activities are organised successfully. To some, this has brought hope that BONU might reverse its decision to leave. “The position of our members is that we should leave BOFEPUSU.
However, it is important to highlight that CEC can affirm or reverse the decision to quit the federation,” Phillip told The Monitor on Friday. He added, “The CEC is meeting this week.
By Thursday we expect to have made a decision on the status of BONU in the federation. We will release a statement on the final position of the union on the BOFEPUSU matter after the CEC meeting.” Last week, BOFEPUSU SG, Tobokani Rari said the federation was pushing for reconciliation talks with BONU. Rari added the federation did not know how it could have aggrieved BONU because it was not part of the process to interdict Nurses’ Day celebrations. Phillip confirmed that BOFEPUSU has proposed reconciliation talks.
“I recently received a call from the federation’s secretary-general proposing a meeting.
We are yet to receive a formal invite. We are open to reconciliation talks because we are not fighting with the federation. We believe that some differences can be dealt with amicably,” Phillip said.
