09 Apr 2025

The 6+1 cooperating trade unions have absolved themselves from  delays in implementing the new fan-shaped pay structure in the public service.

All the cooperating unions were in favour of the agreed new public service pay structure, as the current structure allowances were discriminatory and  had introduced huge salary disparities. Mr Agang Gabana, the unions coordinator  told the media  during a press conference in Gaborone on Wednesday.

The cooperating unions, are National Amalgamated Central, Local and Parastatals Manual Workers' Union, Botswana Teachers Union (BTU), Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU), Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU), Botswana Nurses Union(BONU), Botswana Land Board and Local Authorities and Health Workers Union (BALLHWU) and Botswana Doctors Union (BDU).

Mr Gabana said while the employer also favoured the structure, what the employer party presented to the unions last year was not what was initially agreed upon.

Also, he said the employer was withholding crucial information on the fan-shaped structure from the unions.

“There is nothing in place to show how the structure will look like and how it will be implemented,” said Mr Gabana adding that it had since come to their attention that government wanted to have salary scale notches stretched both upwards and downwards, which would lower some scale entry points. 

Such, he said would be an injustice that the unions would not agree to. 

He said the unions wanted a structure that could retain, motivate public service officers and be comparable to other African countries.

Giving update on the Public Service Bargaining Council (PSBC), BOSETU Secretary General Mr Tobokani Rari said the council was formed following the 2011 industrial action and came to effect the following year until its collapse in 2018.

He said the previous administration had promised to resuscitate the council but failed, adding that the new government had already committed to revive the PSBC. 

Mr Rari said although the PSBC resuscitation would not fall within the first 100 days as  promised, both the Directorate of Public Service Management and unions had started to look into the constitution of the PSBC. He said a draft constitution was already in place for further consultations.

Unlike the previous government, there were now efforts to address areas of contentions, which had paved the way for progress, Mr Rari said. Veteran unionist, Mr Johnson Motshwarakgole said the current public service pay structure was implemented in 1988 and its job description had not been done since then.  

He said officers on D scale and below were using those job descriptions.

He said although the government was new, people in the system were the same ones who made life difficult for them in the previous administration.

All the unions have also agreed that they would now onwards, be engaging with their members on labour related issues. ENDS