Public service salary negotiations hit a snag

The parties will now head for arbitration as the government does not want to move away from five percent they offered while unions moved a bit down from their 15% proposal. DPSM, Botswana Land Board & Local Authorities & Health Workers Union (BLLAHWU), Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU), Botswana Sector of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU), Botswana Teachers Union (BTU) and Botswana Nurses Union (BONU) met on March 23-26, 2024, May 8-10, 2024 and May 28-29 2024 in Mahalapye and concluded negotiations on salary adjustment for the financial year 2024-2025.

"After cooling off period, the parties reached a deadlock and the matter will be referred to private arbitration, the parties are to within seven days decide on name(s) of arbitrators, schedule of arbitration and rules of arbitration. The deadlock was reached because the Union party had moved from 15% to 13% but the employer indicated that they have no mandate on any new offer for this financial year except the five percent that was agreed in 2022 collective labour agreement," said Ketlhalefile Motshegwa representing the 5CTU coordination team. In 2022, the 5CTU concluded a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the employer, being the government through the DPSM.