Unions join forces against another

OARABILE MOSIKARE
Staff Writer | Tuesday April 9, 2013 00:00

 

In a curious development, two teachers unions have become unlikely bedfellows with the government against the Trainers and Allied Workers Union (TAWU).

TAWU issued a notice to sue last Thursday after government's approval of a new pay structure known as Levels of Approval (LoO) for the teaching service. Two weeks ago, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education and Skills Development (MoESD), Grace Muzila, announced that the government had resolved to adopt and implement the ministry's recommendations on LoO.

Under the controversial dispensation, teachers' salary grades will also be reviewed to bring them in tandem with the general practice elsewhere in the public service. Teachers in 'C' band will be able to progress within the grade, provided they have the qualifications and their performance warrants such movement.

Mmegi is informed that TAWU's threat of litigation has angered the Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU) and the Botswana Teachers Union (BTU) to the point where they met on Sunday and volunteered to join the fray as respondents. 'In other words, they (BOSETU and BTU) will fight on the side of the government against TAWU,' says TAWU vice president, Edward Tswaipe.

'But TAWU is fighting for a fundamental principle in labour relations - the right of employees to be consulted by the employer. TAWU's case is not about the merits of the issue, but the procedural issues. In other words, TAWU's case is not about how fair or unfair implementation will be; it is about lack of consultation.'

Tswaipe has pointed out the incongruity of a union opposing an application that merely wants to establish the rights of employees, including the union's members. 'Are BTU and BOSETU saying they don't want to be consulted by the employer in future?, he queries. 'Are we saying government can manipulate teachers as it wants, thanks to its unions?'  The secretary-general of BOSETU, Tobokani Rari, has confirmed that it has resolved to join forces with government to oppose TAWU in court. Rari says because they are an interested party, they should be cited as respondents in the lawsuit.

He is unfazed by the apparent incongruity, arguing that BOSETU has fought government over the discriminatory scheme of service for teachers since 1994. He says Tswaipe represented TAWU at a meeting called by the Director of Public Service Management, Carter Morupisi, between MoESD and unions on November 1, 2012. 'Whether the consultation was enough or not for TAWU, I cannot say,' Rari argues. 'What I know is that they were present.'

In his view, the consultation was enough for BOSETU because they have been engaging the government on the issue since 1994. 'The lawsuit will delay the whole thing but we don't want any further delay,' he says. 'We have met with our BTU comrades and we will issue a joint press release on the issue.'The Secretary-General of BTU, Ibo Kenosi, has also confirmed that they will join forces with BOSETU to oppose the TAWU lawsuit. He also points out that TAWU was present at the November 1, 2012 meeting that Rari has referred to.

'Our challenge is that they (TAWU) are saying they were not consulted,' says Kenosi. 'It is unfair if they say they were not consulted. I'm shocked that they should say that. We are totally committed to defending this decision.' According to him, TAWU was not there when talks with the government began 19 years ago.