Quiet sabre-rattling in banking sector

Number crunching: Keabetswe says 2015/ 16 wage talks are set to proceed. PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO
Number crunching: Keabetswe says 2015/ 16 wage talks are set to proceed. PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO

Nearly each and every single thebe of the P57.6 billion Finance Minister Kenneth Matambo plans to spend in the next financial year will pass through one local bank employee or the other. The country’s 4,500 or so bank workers, however, have their own ‘budgets’ on their minds. Botswana Bank Employees Union general secretary, Lebogang Keabetswe speaks to Staff Writer, MBONGENI MGUNI, about the wage negotiation season

Like the economy, bank workers live in a perpetual cycle.

Every summer, bank workers square up to their employers in a now familiar tussle over wage reviews. Ideally, both sides would want to finalise talks before the onset of the new financial year in April, but traditionally the talks drag far into the new financial year and necessitate backpay sometime in November.

Editor's Comment
Watch your tongue Mr President

While his leadership has brought about significant progress and development, it is imperative that he exercises greater caution in his choice of words, particularly when addressing sensitive matters.One of the primary concerns is the potential impact of his remarks on Botswana’s relationship with De Beers, the diamond mining giant that plays a crucial role in the nation’s economy.The partnership between Botswana and De Beers has been mutually...

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