18th August 2025
Own Correspondent
The Five plus One Public Sector Unions comprising the Botswana Public Employees Union(BOPEU), Botswana Sectors of Educators Trade(BOSETU), Botswana Nurses Union(BONU), Botswana Doctors Union(BDU) and the National Amalgamated Central, Local and Parastatal Manual Workers’ Union (NALCGPWU) will be marching to the Office of the President calling for the resignation of the DPSM Director.
They accuse Gaone Macholo, Director of Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) under the Ministry of State President of negotiating in bad faith by using confidential info to strike a side deal with their counterparts at the Botswana Land Boards Local Authorities and Health Workers Union (BLLAHWU).
“Negotiations have not collapsed. The employer has postphoned meeting without scheduling further meetings,” said Tobokani Rari, Secretary General of the Botswana Sector of Educators Trade Union (BOSETU).
He said, “Government is negotiating in bad faith.”
Unions are concerned with the pay structure of the civil service. There is supposed to be a 2% differentuial between the various pay scales. This is no longer the case.
“They have departed from principle,” said Rari. He said, “There is a distortion of the pay structure. It means some employees are paid poorly.”
The result is that Government finds itself in arrears to the amount of P8billion around pay differential structure agreed with Government previously. Unions would like Government to correct anomaly either now or when the economy recovers.
Unions also want Government to implement the P4000 minimum wage as a basic salary. It is rejecting Government attempts to augment basic salary with housing allowances and upkeep allowances.
“Inflationary adjustments should not be considered salary increases,” said Rari.
Rari revealed that the various negotiating public sector felt betrayed by the actions of BLLAHWU.
Union leaders and their members will march to the Office of the President on Monday to present petition asking for the DPSM Director to be fired.
