Gov�t is out of order

Mmegi Editor | Tuesday November 15, 2016 12:19

Botswana Federation of Public Sector Unions (BOFEPUSU) has filed an urgent application with the courts forcing the government as the employer party to come to the table and negotiate, after the talks broke down last week.

We understand the union party was hoping to receive counter proposal for salary talks for this financial year and next year when government somersaulted and brought up a new matter.

The government insists that the employer could not bargain until a court case filed by BOFEPUSU and involving the three percent salary increment by government to public servants is withdrawn, or they wait for the conclusion of the matter in the courts before they can move one foot forward.

According to government, the matter that BOFEPUSU took to court to find out whether it was unlawful for government to unilaterally award the three percent salary increase could have a bearing on the negotiations and therefore the parties can either wait for its conclusion or withdraw the matter from the courts so negotiations can continue.

This is not on. We strongly condemn the attitude by the government, as we believe if they had any issues and no intentions of delaying they could have raised their concern earlier than two weeks into the talks.

We have had a number of cases before the courts, at a high cost to the taxpayer. Maybe it is time individuals directly responsible are made to pay the legal costs.

We expect the government with legal advisors to know the difference between what’s right and what’s wrong. With that said, we hope the employer party does the right thing and sit to negotiate.

As the saying goes, when bulls fight, it is grass that suffers.

Public employees are demoralised, services do not reach people, life is expensive and frustrations mount. We plead with both parties to go back to the negotiations for the interest of those affected, which is the whole nation.

The PSBC is supposed to run by the two parties and not the courts. As much as any aggrieved party has the liberty to approach the courts, in instances where it can be avoided it should be.

It shouldn’t be a matter of saying the government would pay. We need to be accountable to the nation.

Today’s thought

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” 

– Henry Ford