Botash, BMWU salary impasse headed for mediation
Chakalisa Dube | Tuesday August 18, 2020 14:50
This is after the two parties declared a deadlock after they failed to agree on salary adjustments for Botash employees.
“A date in which we will appear for arbitration before the district labour office has been set. We will appear for mediation at the labour office on the 19th of August (tomorrow). We still maintain that the mine is financially stable to afford the salary increase without any special conditions,” BMWU’s national deputy general secretary, Maenge Maenge said.
The salary increase was supposed to effect from April 1, this year. However, the mine management notified the union of its inability to implement the agreement due to the impact brought by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Both parties had agreed on a salary increase of four percent across the board as well as increasing the shift allowance by four percent for employees on the F19 rate. The standby allowance was to be increased by four percent for the employees on the F19 rate.
Botash offered to increase the employees’ salaries only on condition that the mine meets monthly baseline revenue of P85 million for three consecutive months or 90 days. At the end of 90 days, the mine also wanted to be given the liberty to assess the performance outlook and projections to determine implementation.
On the other hand, BMWU wanted the salary increase to be effected beginning July 9, 2020 without any conditions. The union believes that the recent proposal from the Botash management was unfair and made in bad faith.