BOPEU out of salary talks

Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Friday October 14, 2016 16:58

This followed a meeting between the Botswana Federation of Public Sector Unions (BOFEPUSU) and the director of Public Service Management Ruth Maphorisa (DPSM) on October 10, 2016 where the issue of the commencement of the business of the council was discussed especially with the view to conclude the 2015/16 salary negotiations.

The salary negotiations could commence Monday October 17, 2016.

“It is our firm hope that with the meeting of the EXCO on Thursday, the 2015/16 salary negotiations are bound to commence on the week beginning October 17, 2016,” wrote the federation.

The salary negotiations are set to commence without another major union, the Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU) after it did not apply for admission to the council. BOPEU chose not to apply for admission into the council after a Court of Appeal judgment, which ordered the unions to submit their list of membership for verification to the council secretariat for admission. CoA also judged that BOFEPUSU’s position in the PSBC is legitimate under the Acting Jointly Agreement (AJA) if one of its affiliates meets the threshold. It ordered that once the results of the verification are released, negotiations could commence with or without BOPEU.

In an interview, BOPEU secretary general Topias Marenga said that they stand by their belief that the salary negotiations could not proceed while there is still a matter at the courts which has direct bearing on the negotiations.

“It’s our understanding that the talks cannot commence because of the matter at the court. Their case is set for status hearing soon that is why we have not applied,” said Marenga.

Asked what action BOPEU would take if the council goes ahead with the negotiations on Monday, Marenga said they could do nothing because the court said that the negotiations should continue with or without BOPEU. However, he said the union has continued its recruitment drive and is not pressured to rush and apply for admission.

“We will announce at a particular time when we apply to the council.

The 2015/16 salary negotiations stalled after BOPEU withdrew its affiliation to BOFEPUSU and later challenged the latter’s legitimacy in the bargaining council. BOPEU won at the Industrial Court but BOFEPUSU challenged the ruling at the Court of Appeal.