BNSC to face commissioner of labour

ALLSPORTS
The Botswana Manual Workers Union (BMWU) is expected to drag the Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC) before the Commissioner of Labour on April 9 following an ongoing retrenchment exercise at the council. The BMWU, representing some of the casualties of the retrenchment exercise is not happy about the process used to release the employees.

The BNSC has embarked on a well publicised retrenchment exercise citing lack of financial resources. Recently BG Sport sources close to the BNSC said that the council has not been honest about the retrenchment exercise. “BNSC officials have told the media that only three employees were being retrenched but in actual fact there are seven employees being pushed out from the council,” a source disclosed.

BNSC officials also had told the media that employees being retrenched were on contract, something refuted by insiders who claim at the employees have been employed on a permanent and pensionable basis. “One of the employees being retrenched at the BNSC has been there for 21 years,” the source said. He further accused the council of an attempt to release the employees without decent retrenchment packages.

The BNSC is also being accused of violating some provisions in the council’s conditions of service. Under Retrenchments and Redundancy, the conditions state that the council shall consult with employees affected, or their representatives, with a view of minimising the effect of job losses, wherever possible.  The conditions however allow for the council to have the sole responsibility to make a final decision.

“In minimising the number of job losses, the Council shall consider possibilities of re-deployment of employees to other jobs, retraining of employees, a reduction in salary and the introduction of a voluntary severance scheme and such other action which may contribute to the reduction in any compulsory retrenchment and redundancies,” the conditions read.

If compulsory retrenchment or redundancy is found to be necessary, the institution’s document states, the Council shall consult with employees affected or their representatives, on determining the criteria for selection of employees who will be made redundant or retrenched.

The council however, reserves the right to take the final decision on the criteria. Contacted for comment previously, the President of the Botswana Manual Workers Union (BMWU) Johnson Motshwarakgole confirmed that they will take the BNSC before the Commissioner of Labour next week. On the other hand, BNSC Chief Executive Officer Percy Raditladi declined to comment on the matter, saying “it is an internal matter.”