BOFEPUSU threatens public strikes

Now that Botswana Federation of Public Sector Unions (BOFEPUSU) has terminated its membership in the Public Service Bargaining Council, it expects government to extend the 3% and 4% salary increment to its affiliated trade unions.

Should this not happen they will call for go-slows at work. The federation flexed its muscles following this past weekend’s special congress in Palapye which endorsed the decision of the national leadership of the federation that the only admitted trade union party at PSBC being BOFEPUSU A.JA, terminate its membership to benefit from three percent and four percent increments.

BOFEPUSU Deputy Secretary General, Ketlhalefile Motshegwa told this publication that different opinions about the federation engaging in politics notwithstanding, the congress resolved that “BOFEPUSU participate and influence the political economy through engaging political parties and civic groups aligned to the workers’ agenda.”

This hardline and radical approach follows hard on the heels of last week’s statement issued by government spin-doctor, Dr. Jeff Ramsay, expressing government’s surprise at reports and statements attributed to BOFEPUSU that it has resigned from the PSBC.

“We still await official confirmation from the PSBC of this stance, with BOFEPUSU having followed the appropriate procedure as set out in the Constitution, as well as making proper arrangements for their settling of any outstanding financial obligations to the PSBC,” Ramsay said.