Botswana postal workers threaten strike action
The Botswana Postal Workers Union (BPSWU), has threatened to strike if the management does not heed their demands for salary increase.
Speaking at the BPSWU 35th annual congress held in Palapye at the weekend, BPSWU chairperson Aaron Lefu expressed disappointment at the way the management handled their long running 25 percent salary increase demand.
“We have lodged the issue of salaries increase with the management and the board and we have received cold responses,” Lefu he said.
The union unanimously agreed that management should be given the last chance to respond to their plea. If they fail to do so, they might embark on industrial action.
“Teachers always strike, BULGASA strikes, why can’t we? a member of the union asked at the congress.
The union expressed impatience with the way management has been handling its grievances.
BPSWU said they have been given excuses such as lack of funds yet new expensive systems were being installed at BPS.
“Right now new systems are being installed, where do they get the money to buy those computers? asked one of the union stalwarts.
“They cannot tell us that there is no money. We are the very people that make money and we know what we are talking about,” he stressed.
“We are not a priority to them, otherwise they could not be telling us this,” said another member. The BPS management was criticised for its failure to walk the talk and cut costs. It was accused of misuse of funds.
The union slammed BPS for engaging many consultants, which never come up with positive feedback.
Lefu said that Botswana Post workers are the most underpaid compared to other parastatal organisations. He said that the central government pays its employees 25 percent more than Botswana Post.
Assistant director (general operations), Lepate Molalapata, told the congress that the corporation is not making profits. He explained that the P1.5 million, which the management showed as turn-around in its long history of losses, turned out to be yet another deficit after it was subjected to forensic auditing.
Molalapata encouraged workers to work together with the management to make the organisation more profitable.
Financial statements presented by the director did not convince the congress as accurate.
“These people know our weaknesses. They will keep on telling us the same thing everyday,” said a member of the union.
Workers also expressed their fear of privatisation. Most of them said that they are likely to lose their jobs as the management has already started retrenching in the name of saving costs.
