UB, Unions conflict rages on
The second phase of the intermittent and indefinite University of Botswana staff strikes resumed on Tuesday morning.
According to the University of Botswana spokesperson Una Busang, the University of Botswana has come to a joint agreement with the Manual Workers Union that band 1 to band 4 workers will get a nine percent salary increment and the band 5 to band 10 workers will get a seven percent salary increment effective April 2023. She noted that talks are ongoing with the other two unions being the University of Botswana Staff Union ( UBSU) and the University of Botswana Senior Support Staff Union ( UBASSU). According to the Secretary General of UBASSU Dr. Emmanuel Mogende they did not sign any agreement with the institution as the institution rejected their demand to revoke the no work no pay rule which resulted in deductions after the first phase of the strike.
Mogende said that since they did not come to an agreement with the institution they will continue to strike but they hope that they will come to a desirable conclusion. The second phase of the staff strike at UB is aimed at disrupting the academic calendar and mounting pressure on the institution to listen to the demands of the workers. UBASSU was originally demanding a fifteen percent increment of salaries but they are willing to reduce their demands as long as they can get other things on the table such as the revoking of no work no pay rule from the institution. Addressing UBASSU members on the first day of the strike, President of UBASSU Professor Motsumi Marobela said that during initial negotiations, the university offered eight percent increment but the union said they would take a 10 percent increment under the conditions that the money deducted from staff members during the last strike be returned and that the transport and car allowance be incorporated into their salaries so that their pensions be boosted.
A source within the UBASSU union said that the university is negotiating in bad faith and they know that Professor Norris will be the one who will be made to listen to them and pose as the solution provider for political reasons. UBASSU, UBSU and UB will meet again and renegotiate about their demands. This is seen as something that will affect the academic lifecycle of students especially first and second year students as they are the ones who attend a lot of lectures, this was observed by interim SRC President Kesaobaka Johannes. He further urged the unions to reconsider if this is the best way of taking their grievances across as it gravely affects learners. Johannes said one thing that can help the student community better understand the fight between the unions and school is if the unions met with the student community and explained their grievances.