Parliament seeks ways to end strike

Staff Writer | Monday June 6, 2011 00:00

 

They agreed that the Botswana Federation of Public Service Unions (BOFEPUSU) should continue talks with the Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) to explore a mutually agreeable settlement to the 'No Work, No Pay' dispute. A communique from Parliament said MPs backed the three percent salary increment offered by government and accepted by unions.

However, the legislators want the increment distributed on the principle of equity without undue distortion of the current salary structures.

The refusal by government to re-instate essential service workers and to waive the 'No Work, No Pay' principle has been a stumbling block in efforts to end the strike after unions accepted the three percent offer. On Friday, MPs said the strike has evolved into a national crisis that demands an all-party solution based on the principle of 'unity for peace'.  They acknowledged the impact of the strike on the economy, peace, tranquility, service delivery and the general citizenry. 'In order to promote peace and a return to normalcy, the parties and all the various players in our national dialogue, engage one another in a spirit of mutual respect and desist from using inflammatory language,' the communique stated.