31 Jul 2014

The Botswana Mine Workers Union (BMWU) has petitioned the Minister of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources regarding a number of issues affecting the Moolman Mining employees.

Handing over the petition to the Francistown acting district commissioner (DC), Ms Goabaone Mathumo on July 28, Mr Bob Malele who is the BMWU general secretary said the issues included lack of respect for the union by Moolman’s management, retrenchment, job security, promotions, sick leaves and welfare amongst others.

Mr Malele explained that it was the view of BMWU that the mine’s management did not recognise it because they continued to take unilateral decisions on issues that directly impacted on employees’ rights that were as contemplated by their individual’s contracts of employment.

“It is the union’s considered view that this infringement of the Collective Labour Agreements that constitute a bi-partite deal as between the employer and the trade union,” he said.

He accused the management of what he termed wayward conduct, which was characterised by the negative language that it adopted when corresponding with the union.

Mr Malele said on several instances, Moolman Mining retrenched employees without following the legal retrenchment regulations of the country. On the issue of job security, he said Moolman Mining seemed to operate without the intention of retaining employees.

“This is evidenced by the overwhelming number of unfair/unlawful dismissals that flood through this mining house,” he said.

He said the mine also did not have a clear table of progression and as a result, some people served for long time without being promoted and some were promoted because of the company’s nepotism.

“Some employees act for a long period without allowances and employees who were promoted were either not paid the rightful salaries or took long time to be paid,” said Mr Malele.

He said there was no changing room for employees working in the pit, there was hardly fresh drinking water for employees working in the pit and the container used as a waiting room for operators waiting for breakdown was very cold during winter as its door did not close properly.

“Moolman employees do not have a clinic in a walking distance as the law states and employees depended on Tati Nickel clinic which is far,” he noted.

He said the mine’s management interrogated employees for sick leaves and came up with a processes aimed at discouraging employees from claiming sick leave payments.

When receiving the petition on behalf of the Minister, Ms Mathumo said she will forward it to the relevant office.

She said petitions were in accordance with the democratic principles of the country and she commended the Moolman petitioners for bringing it in a peaceful manner without disturbing other activities in the city. Ends