UB Staff Demands 7% Salary Hike

Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Monday October 23, 2017 14:54

This comes after the workers through their various labour movements; the University of Botswana Academic and Senior Support Staff Union (UBASSSU), and University of Botswana Staff Union (UBSU), and the National Amalgamated Local, Central Government & Parastatal Workers Union petitioned the vice chancellor on Thursday demanding a seven percent salary adjustment.

In the petition, the workers also declared a motion of no confidence on management and demanded that disciplinary action be taken against some members of the management whom they say are dishonest in dealing with the workers.

The workers said that they ought to have benefited from the three and four percent salary hike that was awarded public officers in April 2016 and 2017 respectively.

They demand that Government Directives No. 4 of 2016 and No. 4 of 2017 should be ratified with immediate effect to pay UB employees the cumulative seven percent salary inflationary adjustment and that the UB Council should be asked to set aside the “fraudulently” approved Staff Grievances Policy and Procedures (SGPP).

Also, they are demanding that the deputy vice chancellor (Finance and Administration), Mendel Nlanda, director (Human Resources), Lucy Machiba, and deputy director (Legal Services), Goitsemang Taunyane should be charged for serious or gross misconduct and be summoned for disciplinary action promptly. The workers have given the management a week to respond, indicating that they could take further action in their quest to be heard.

“Take note that you have seven working days to comply with the demands. Take note also that we reserve the right to seek redress and justice elsewhere as we deem fit,” reads the petition.

Although it is not clear what action they would take in the event their demands are not addressed, The Monitor sources close to the developments indicate that the workers are preparing to embark on a go-slow or strike.

In response to The Monitor, the acting director of public affairs, Tefo Mangope said the vice chancellor is yet to respond to the petitioners. He said the response would be done before the end of the seven days as demanded by the petition.

“In the meantime we must wait for her response. There isn’t much we can say or do now until a response has been tendered. Maybe you could ask the unions what their expectations are,” Mangope said.

UB has been struggling financially, with the Minister of Education, Research, Science and Technology, Dr Alfred Madigele recently stating that the financial woes were self-inflicted. Madigele said the UB was currently on a shoestring budget owing to a “unilateral decision to increase salaries by 35%”..