Public sector unions demand 15% salary increase
Five public sector Cooperating Trade Unions are demanding for a 15 percent salary increment for their members following within the bargaining unit A-D bands.
The unions say this follows their own analysis of the economic performance, and thus they have proposed to the employer that the 5 percent be adjusted upward by 10 percent, resulting in a total of 15 percent across the board adjustment for employees.
The trade unions are Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU), Botswana Teachers Union (BTU), Botswana Sector of Educators Union (BOSETU), Botswana Nurses Union (BONU) and Botswana Landboards, Local Authorities and Health Workers Union (BLLAWHU).
The unions have notified their members that in 2022, they concluded a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the employer, being government through the Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM). The trade union stated this week that within the CBA, clause 2.1.3 provides that "an across- the-board salary adjustment of 5 percent for the 2024/2025 financial year effective 1st April 2024, subject to performance of the economy and to be reviewed jointly by the parties."
“In line with clause 2.1.3 of the 2022, CBA as reproduced above at article 2.2, parties met on 23rd March 2024 to review the performance of the economy with a view to engage in a negotiation process that would result in an upward adjustment of the 5 percent as agreed and contained in the 2022 CBA. The joint review of the performance of the economy and the negotiation process commenced on 23rd March 2023. Upon commencement of negotiations, the employer posited that the 5 percent contained in the 2022 CBA was to be subjected to a negotiation process for review, to be downgraded or upgraded, while the union party was adamant that the 5 percent was already given, that it cannot be withdrawn or negotiated downwards,” reads the notice to members.
The Union Party (5CTU) says after its own analysis of the economic performance, they proposed to the employer that the 5 percent be adjusted upward by 10 percent, resulting in a total of 15 percent across the board adjustment for employees within 5 unions' bargaining unit (A-D bands). The proposal by the union is premised on the need to motivate employees and boost workplace morale, the urgent need to cushion employees against inflationary burden which has eroded their purchasing power, and the quest for equity in protection of employees welfare.
“The employer party on the other hand brought to the table the same 5 percent that was agreed in 2022 which means that the employer proposed a 0 percent following the review of the economic performance. Members of the 5CTU should note that in coming up with the aggregate15 percent proposal for salary adjustment, the following factors that support the adjustment were considered; The Health of the Economy, our assessment of key economic fundamentals suggests the economy is strong,” said the unions.
It is argued that the significant erosion of real incomes by inflation in 2022/23 and 2023/24, when workers were awarded below inflation salary adjustments, resulted in a cumulative 8.9 percentage points loss of purchasing. The Unions argue for the application of the Principle of Equity & Parity with the Salary Grades E2 and above, who got handsomely awarded a pay increase of 15 percent under the guise of Commuted Overtime Allowance backdated to April 2023.
Said the unions: “Equity and parity with the political leaders (Councilors, Members of Parliament and Dikgosi) who got awarded handsomely with 22 percent adjustments of their salaries. As the negotiations process continued, the employer party indicated that they do not have any mandate beyond the 5 percent that was awarded in 2022, which they were re - tabling while the union party indicated that they are prepared for the negotiations. Owing to the absence of a mandate or fixed mandate by the employer, the process of negotiations could not continue until the employer representatives could refresh their mandate.”
Parties agreed that the negotiations for the upwards adjustment of the 5 percent that was agreed as in terms of the 2022 collective labour agreement (CBA), be adjourned for 20 working days for both parties to engage their mandate givers and for the employer to provide some additional information demanded by the union party. That the negotiations will reconvene on 3rd May 2022. While parties adjourn, the employer should implement the 2022 agreed 5 percent to salaries of employees that fall within the bargaining unit of the 5CTU (salary bands A - D). The union stated that leaders of the 5CTU would, during the adjournment address mass meetings of members across the country to explain what happened and seek further mandate for the continuation of negotiations.
“This is important because the negotiations are about the welfare and conditions of service of employees, and therefore they must have a say and shape the outcome of the negotiations once they resume on the 3rd May 2023. We urge members and the entire civil servants to remain hopeful, resilient in the demand for better welfare and conditions of service at a time when Executive management have used their authority to award themselves huge increments but become conservative when it comes to other categories of employees,” reads the notice.