BOFEPUSU cautions Orange against retrenchments
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Thursday September 18, 2014 15:00
“We further call upon Orange Botswana to re-open negotiations with the affected employees in an endeavour to amicably resolve this impasse. BOFEPUSU and its affiliates would like to warn Orange Botswana that if this impasse is not amicably resolved, and Orange Botswana continues to trample upon the rights of these employees, we will be left with no option but to consider very seriously, the relationships that each of the affiliate unions has with Orange Botswana,” BOFEPUSU secretary general Tobokani Rari said in a press release yesterday.
Rari said they are concerned that an Orange Botswana employee was unfairly dismissed last year but the company refused to reinstate him despite a declaration by the Commissioner of Labour that his dismissal was unlawful.
“Rather, Orange offered to pay him three months’ salary as compensation,” he said.
Rari added that BOFEPUSU was concerned that Orange Botswana management has disallowed its employees from nominating representatives among themselves to protect their (employees) interests in negotiations for a retrenchment package, stating that the company was not obliged to engage them.
“We find this a glaring and outright violation of the rights of workers to organise,” he said.
He said following the Lansmore meeting between Orange and its employees, another meeting was convened on April 30 at Cresta Lodge where some workers were informed of a separation model in which management said that employees will be transferred with their current packages and length of service to Ericsson.
“Employees at this meeting inquired about other options, but management would not entertain any. In line with the principle of a fair consultation process, employees could have been allowed to come up with their own preferred separation models for discussion. With the absence of such an extension to employees by Orange Management, we regard this action by Orange as not only arm twisting employees, but also as naked autocracy.” Rari said they have also gathered with the greatest of disappointment that at the meeting on March12, 2014, employees raised numerous pertinent enquiries regarding the whole process, which needed to be discussed, but the management of Orange was not open to discussion instead demanding that employees’ queries be raised through emails. Orange Botswana was expected to clarify the issue at a press conference late yesterday.