Unions Demand Disciplined Forces Benefits

The government is of the view that the salary adjustments extended to Botswana Defence Force (BDF) and the Botswana Police Service amongst others, are irrelevant to ongoing negotiations between employer and trade unions as forces are not governed by the Public Service Act which regulates the civil service.

The standoff on the matter has forced the six cooperating trade unions: Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union, Botswana Nurses Union, Botswana Teachers Union, Botswana Land boards, Local Authorities and Health Workers Union, National Amalgamated Local and Central Government and Parastatal Workers Union and Botswana Public Employees Union to evoke clause 12 of the rules of engagement that allows any of the parties to the negotiations to consult its mandate givers.  Resultantly, the negotiations have been adjourned for five days and are scheduled to resume on August 9, 2019.