Gov't, unions to kickstart fresh wage talks

Goitseone Mosalakatane
Goitseone Mosalakatane

Government and public service trade unions are scheduled to kick off a fresh round of wage negotiations under the Public Service Bargaining Council (PSBC) next month, with workers reportedly skeptical of securing meaningful concessions.

Appearing before a Parliamentary committee this week, trade unionists said the employer, the Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM), had mastered the “art of delay” in resuscitating the PBSC.  The said PBSC meetings should have started by September, but government has been coming up with excuses to delay the process, it has emerged.

Appearing before the same committee, newly appointed DPSM director, Goitseone Mosalakatane, conceded that the parties could have started the process in September/October 2020 but said this failed due to the facilitators’ “tight schedule”.  “Consequently, this process will only commence in November 2020,” she said. “I would like to reiterate that government is committed to the resuscitation of the PSBC and DPSM will wholeheartedly continue to make efforts to overcome the various challenges that keep cropping up and delaying the process of reviving this key component of harmonious labour relations in the Public Service.  “We equally request the unions to contribute to constructive employment relations.”

Editor's Comment
Gov’t must rectify recognition of Khama as Kgosi

While it is widely acknowledged that Khama holds the title of Kgosi, the government’s failure to properly gazette his recognition has raised serious concerns about adherence to legal procedures and the credibility of traditional leadership. (See a story elsewhere in this newspaper.) Recent court documents by the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Kgotla Autlwetse, shed light on the intricacies of Khama’s recognition process....

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