BTU's secretary general Tidimalo Maeletso explained that they have on numerous occasions requested a meeting with the BFTU leadership to clear some heart burning issues but the latter did not turn up. Maeletso revealed that there were complaints about equal representation as their organization had the largest subscribers. "As BTU we believe that much as our subscription is very high we could not be placed at the same level during decision making with those with very low subscriptions. We wanted it to be proportional with what we contribute," Maeletso explained.
He further stated that membership to the BFTU would not bring them the numbers to get into the bargaining council as requested by the new Public Service Act which requires a union to have members constituting one third of the employees to be part of the council. He explained that there are about 109 000 civil servants with 13 072 being members of the BTU and an addition from the BFTU who have small unions from different industries would not add up to one third that is required. "With them we were going to be closed out but with BOFEPUSU there would have the numbers they need from other civil service unions," he said revealing that Botswana Secondary Teachers Union, Botswana Manual Workers Union, Botswana Land Board and Local Authorities Workers Union would be part of BOFEPUSO. "They are all representing the civil servants, our issues are almost the same and we have one employer. It will be easy to speak with one voice there," he said.
