Nervous BDP in talks with BOFEPUSU
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Wednesday March 12, 2014 16:56
Now nervous BDP has assigned the labour committee to also engage the union to avert a strike.
Regarding the Friday caucus meeting, which was led by Tswapong North MP Prince Maele, BOFEPUSU secretary general Tobokani Rari said it is important for the BDP bench to understand their side of the story.
He said prior to that meeting, they addressed opposition MPs. “We are consulting all stakeholders so that they can advise us accordingly. If they feel that we are not negotiating in good faith then they will be free to say it out.
The issue of the strike is our last resort as the union,” he said.
He said all political parties feel that the impasse can be resolved amicably if both government and union negotiate in good faith.
Mmegi has learnt that the ruling party wants the salary negotiations to be settled as the stalemate can de-campaign the party in the upcoming general elections.
A source revealed that the BDP leaders want their labour committee to meet with BOFEPUSU to handle the matter.
“Our party is not prepared for another strike especially since now there are lot of issues like power cuts that need to be addressed.
“The party leadership wants salary increase for civil servants and is doing its own investigations to know if negotiations between the two parties are done in good faith,” said the source.
Without confirming the BDP nervousness, the party secretary general Mpho Balopi confirmed to Mmegi that the labour committee would try and engage BOFEPUSU. He said they are aware that BOFEPUSU leaders met with BDP parliamentary caucus.
“I cannot comment much on the issue until the labour committee reports back to us as the central committee on what they had done.
It is their responsibility as a committee to be informed on what is going on so that the party knows the truth on issues,” he said.