BLLAHWU hires Motshegwa fulltime
Oarabile Mosikare | Thursday June 4, 2015 14:46
On Monday, June 1, the Botswana Land Boards, Local Authorities and Health Workers Union (BLLAHWU) acting president Disang Mokwape wrote to all the regions and branches informing them about the employment of their secretary general on full-time basis.
“We inform all regions and branches that the City of Francistown on the 13th May 2015 held a disciplinary hearing against the secretary general on account of absenteeism from work.
“We tried all administrative procedure informing the employer that the charges levelled against the SG were baseless since he is on secondment and there are court cases to justify that.
The employer was made aware of all issues discussed previously including the court case that was granted in favour of the union that if the employer wants to terminate the secondment both parties must go to the negotiating table because the issue is an organisational right as provided for in the collective labour agreement of 2009 entered into by the union and the employer,” wrote Mokwape.
He informed their structures that on May 29, 2015 the FCC delivered a dismissal letter to their SG at the union headquarters. “The central committee met on the 28th May 2015 where it was resolved to invoke clause 15.3.6 (d) of the union constitution and offered him employment on a 5 year contract effect June 2015.
Therefore Cde Motshegwa is and remains the union secretary general. Further details will be provided at the upcoming governing council,” said the acting president.
Mokwape confirmed that they offered Motshegwa employment but would also challenge his dismissal in court. “We cannot fold our arms when the organisational rights are violated,” said Mokwape.
As recently as April a proposal to employ Motshegwa as the fulltime secretary general was defeated during the special congress. “This proposal was defeated because delegates felt that the union cannot afford to hire the secretary general for a five years contract,” said a source at the time.