On Friday, BOPEU declared strike action following the collapse of the mediation talks between the union and the Botswana Unified Revenue Services (BURS) before the Commissioner of Labour.
BOPEU president Andrew Motsamai told The Monitor that strike action is imminent at BURS, and that the union has started drawing the rules of the strike which could go on for two months or more. BOPEU have been pushing for a salaries and allowances increment for more than 1400 BURS employees, while the employer maintained that the increment should be at six percent offered by government for all government employees. BOPEU started their bargaining with BURS, asking for 15% salary increase, payment of 50% tuition fee for staff children and 100% for staff, five percent of basic salary as cell phone allowance to all staff and a cell phone voucher of P3000, as well as extension of overtime allowance to a category of employees known as BURS 5. Among others BOPEU submitted 10% car allowances, 15% cell phones and monthly airtime, responsibility allowances for officers in charge and principal customs.
