Public Sector Unions issue stern warning to UDC Govt
Public Sector Trade Unions have sent a stern warning to the government of the day to clean sweep its house and ensure it delivers on the promises it made to public workers and nation at large.
The public sector unions working as a collective under the name 6+1 Cooperating Trade Unions, have urged the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) government which prides itself as Human Rights-focused, to be transparent and engage them and any other social partner in issues affecting public workers and Batswana.
The Coordinator of the cooperating Unions, Agang Gabana said there has been misinformation given to the government regarding workers’ welfare. He said the issues are about PERMANDU, salary pay structure and the Public Service Bargaining Council (PSBC).
Gabana stated that the issue of the Fan-Shape Pay structure started in 2017/18 where a proposal for the review of the public service pay structure started.
He explained that the Fan-Shape structure was to replace the Perterson Salary structure from Scale A- F. Ever since PERMANDU was concluded in 2019 there has been back and forth clashes between the trade unions and the Employer - the Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) which affected the implementation of the PERMANDU Report.
Gabana has argued that the Perterson Structure had to be scrapped off because it created many allowances which were even discriminatory.
“That is why we wanted a clean Pay Structure. The C Band Scale has many people there and has made it difficult for employees to progress.
“People reach top notch and there is nowhere to go and this could lead to many things such as low morale and low productivity,” Gabana said Wednesday this week in Gaborone.
Gabana who was speaking during a media dialogue, said they are worried about the statement that was made by the Minister for State President Moeti Mohwasa regarding the implementation of the Fan Shape structure and the budgeted amount of P227 million.
He said in their opinion the money is not enough. He revealed that they engaged the minister over the matter and remain hopeful that something positive will happen.
“That wouldn’t be enough and wouldn’t benefit the public workers. We want a structure that will empower the workers. We are for justice and transparency,” he added.
Veteran Trade Unionist who is also Manual Workers Union Consultant, Johnson Motshwarakgole called on the government to get out of its comfort zone and act.
He said as a norm when a new president is voted into state power there has to be a new Permanent Secretary to the President, there has to be some new Permanent Secretaries and the security also has to change.
He said the country is in a mess because of the same people that President Advocate Duma Boko and his administration are keeping.
“These are the people who formed part of the past administration. The system will continue to be a rot because you only changed ministers and the president and not the people who are making things difficult.
“We are not saying just fire them. But you can redeploy them somewhere else and get capable people. Even us as trade unions we can assist the government on choosing the right people, they can use us because we have capable people,” Motshwarakgole remarked.
According to Motshwarakgole, they fully support the government of the day. He however warned that if the leadership is not careful they will find themselves in trouble because of senior government officers who mislead them.
“The system has not changed. We want real change. Even president Adv. Boko acknowledged that there is a problem at C-salary scale. The problem is that he will send the same people in the system to deal with the matter,” he said.
Botswana Federation of Public, Private and Parastatal Sectors Union (BOFEPUSU) Secretary General, Robert Rabasimane said there is too much wastage in the public service.
He told the gathering that government uses a lot of money in litigations. He challenged government to do things right and avoid litigation.
According to Rabasimane, they have it in good authority that there is also wastage in fuel across the country at Central Transport Organisation (CTO) depots. He said underground tanks are leaking and fuel amounting to millions of Pula is being lost. Rabasiame said it is time that government carries out an audit on these wastages.
“The recruitment approach has to also be looked into. Our 36 district councils each have five deputy council secretaries. This is a waste.
“We have it in good authority that Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Local Government is getting a high pay than those in other ministries.
“The DPSM Director is getting way more because they created an unnecessary allowance called Attraction and Retention. Government has to be careful because it looks like things are being done by certain individuals or friends”, Rabasimane warned.
Botswana Doctors Union (BDU) President, Dr Kefilwe Selema, who is also BOPFEUSU Secretary for Labour said the public Health is in shambles because the Permanent Secretary and DPSM are failing.
He said government has to be warned about these two people. He revealed that what they have established is that the duo undermines the public service workers.
According to Dr Selema, government has to be careful when extending contracts of some of the senior public officers.
“MoH is the most underperforming with poor, governance, corruption. The health of our people is at risk. If the government is not careful, what we experienced in the education sector will explode in the health sector,” Dr Selema said.