Public ServiceUnions decide to merge

CHANDAPIWA BAPUTAKI
Staff Writer | Thursday March 18, 2010 00:00

 

The unions concerned are the Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU), Botswana Teachers Union (BTU), Botswana Secondary Teachers Union (BOSETU), Botswana Land Board and Local Authorities Workers Union (BLLAWU) and Botswana Manual Workers Union (BMWU).

Speaking at a rally held on Tuesday afternoon at the Gaborone Senior School grounds, president of BOPEU Andrew Motsamai expressed gratitude that the new public service act has finally been given the commencement date of May 1, 2010.

 'We have been waiting for this act's commencement date for a long time. The act will bring us fair labour practices and the job security which we have not been enjoying in Botswana,' Motsamai said.

Mostamai stressed the importance of speaking with one voice to their employer and said the new act would make it difficult for government to fire people, while negotiating structures would be put in place before decisions are made on their behalf.

 'We are even happier that the bargaining formed will have an independent chairperson.  With this meeting, we want to tell you that we have started to make our presence felt and we need your support and commitment in fighting for your rights,' the BOPEU president said.

Japhter Radibe, president of BTU condemned government's job terminations without giving workers notice. 'In the past five months we have seen a new trend where an employee would be called all the way from Shakawe to Gaborone only to be told that their employment has been terminated and they will not be going back using the government vehicle. We have seen even the Director of Public Service Management Pearl Matome being fired from work without notice like a dog,' he said.

Radibe expressed dismay at the termination of employment in the name of retrenchments due to privatisation. 'This is making more Batswana poorer in their country of riches. They want to enjoy the diamond riches alone,' Radibe said adding that public service employees must now form committees in their work places to guard against ill-treatment. 

 'We want to know what prompted government to increase the Value Added Tax and not increase salaries. Was it proper for them to do that,' asked Shandukani Hlabano, BOSETU president. 

President of BLLAWU, Pelotshweu Baeng said government must not blame them for poor service during kgotla meetings if they do not want to improve the working conditions of employees.

Johnson Motshwarakgole, Manual Workers Union, said it is hard to understand why they are accused of talking politics when they advocate for employees' rights.