Botswana Mine Workers Union Rejects 15 Percent Increase in Salary

Text of report by Botswana newspaper Mmegi website on 11 August

[Report by Onalenna Modikwa: "BMWU Rejects 15 Per cent Salary Hike"]

SELEBI-PHIKWE: Enraged members of the Botswana Mine Workers Union (BMWU), Selebi-Phikwe branch have resolved to reject the proposed 15 per cent salary increase.

The members expressed their feelings at a meeting convened by the branch committee to give feed back on the ongoing wage negotiations with BCL management. The mine employees said they persevered and laboured hard to bring the BCL mine where it is but the management has failed to recognise their input by giving them meaningful rewards. They urged the branch committee to seek audience with President Ian Khama and vowed to finance a trip to see the head of state if the union does not have money. “We have now reached a point of rejecting the 15 per cent offer by the management and demand the initial 40 per cent. This time we are not going to retreat and we want to show the mine management that we have changed.”

The workers boldly stated that they reject the mine’s offer and will continue with the struggle for their rights. They suggested that they be given a day-off to meet face to face with the general manager, Montwedi Mphathi. They wondered how far the union is with their plans to engage in a strike to express their displeasure.

One of the miners, David Lesejane, said the union has reached a point of no return. He said the lower cadre in the mine is most affected by inflation, hence they live in adverse poverty and resort to cash loans.

Initially the branch chairman, Bob Malele, had indicated that when the wage negotiations started in May, the union wanted a 40 per cent salary hike across the board and the increase of housing allowance from P321 [pula] to P1,000. They demanded more allowances for those who handle machines, hot metal and work underground. He added that at some point, the management offered 15 per cent salary hike across the board with no change to the allowances. The union on the other hand moved down to 20 per cent salary increment across the board and a hike in housing allowances and other incentives but the two parties ended in a stalemate. Malele said that the union did not sign a joint dispute statement because the mine could not produce minutes from the previous meeting. He added that the management has reverted to 10 per cent salary increment across the board without a hike in any of the allowances. But the union reverted to 25 per cent with the original proposals to increase the allowances. Malete said the union is disappointed because management salaries were reviewed in November.

“Management also told us that they have got no option but to withdraw the five per cent proposed in addition to the initial 10 per cent to the company because we could not accept it. To us 15 per cent is nothing when applied to wages as low as P1,100 and we are mostly concerned because our members do not have retirement benefits.”

The chairman stated that they were scheduled to leave yesterday to seek audience with Khama and the Minister for Minerals, Energy and Water Resources Ponatshego Kedikilwe and the Minister for Labour and Home Affairs Peter Siele.

Originally published by Mmegi website. Gaborone, in English 11 Aug 08.

(c) 2008 BBC Monitoring Africa. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.