- "We want public servants to be well-paid whether there is money or there is no money"
Botswana Amalgamated Local, Central Government, and Parastatal Workers Union, commonly referred simply as the manual workers union, plans to take the government to court over the latter’s failure to implement wage agreements reached between the two parties recently.
The two parties had agreed to adjust the minimum wage to P2500 per month for the 2022/2023 financial year. The government has also decided to reduce the number of notches for the A3 salary scale.
Speaking at a media briefing this week, the Manual Workers Union Chief Negotiator, Robert Rabasimane said the agreement for the salary increment for the 2022/23 financial year was not implemented as agreed between the union and government.
He said that following several unsuccessful engagements with the Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM), the Union decided to take the matter to court and has since issued a statutory requirement notice.
Rabasimane also said the two parties had reached a stalemate over a decision by the government to rearrange payment dates for public workers.
Chief Executive Officer, Elsinah Botsalano said as the workers’ federation they cannot sit back and not address the issues at hand. She said they would fight tooth and nail to ensure that they get answers from the employer regarding their agreement.
According to Botsalano, the agreement was that the minimum wage at A3 be pegged to P2500 per month then across the board an adjustment of five percent be applied.
Botsalano said it is surprising that government is too relaxed. She said that the government is never proactive but always expects the workers’ federation to come up with proposals.
“In 1991, it was us who came up with an idea of the minimum wage. Even this year we proposed an increase to the minimum wage because we want public servants to be well paid whether there is money or no money,” Botsalano said.
Botswana Amalgamated Local, Central Government, and Parastatal Workers Union, commonly referred simply as the manual workers union, plans to take the government to court over the latter’s failure to implement wage agreements reached between the two parties recently.
The two parties had agreed to adjust the minimum wage to P2500 per month for the 2022/2023 financial year. The government has also decided to reduce the number of notches for the A3 salary scale.
Speaking at a media briefing this week, the Manual Workers Union Chief Negotiator, Robert Rabasimane said the agreement for the salary increment for the 2022/23 financial year was not implemented as agreed between the union and government.
He said that following several unsuccessful engagements with the Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM), the Union decided to take the matter to court and has since issued a statutory requirement notice.
Rabasimane also said the two parties had reached a stalemate over a decision by the government to rearrange payment dates for public workers.
Chief Executive Officer, Elsinah Botsalano said as the workers’ federation they cannot sit back and not address the issues at hand. She said they would fight tooth and nail to ensure that they get answers from the employer regarding their agreement.
According to Botsalano, the agreement was that the minimum wage at A3 be pegged to P2500 per month then across the board an adjustment of five percent be applied.
Botsalano said it is surprising that government is too relaxed. She said that the government is never proactive but always expects the workers’ federation to come up with proposals.
“In 1991, it was us who came up with an idea of the minimum wage. Even this year we proposed an increase to the minimum wage because we want public servants to be well paid whether there is money or no money,” Botsalano said.
