The Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU) has rejected outright the government’s decision to prioritise a Voluntary Separation Package (VSP) for senior public servants as it accusses the government of sidelining the majority of workers while directing public resources towards a select group.
BOPEU says it ai “seriously concerned and disappointed” by Cabinet’s reported decision to fast-track the VSP for employees at E2 and above while putting aside the Fan-Shaped Salary Structure, Remuneration Policy and Performance Management System aligned to the new pay structure.
The union argues that the move comes at the worst possible time for thousands of public servants who have endured years of salary and notch stagnation, particularly those at D1 and below.
BOPEU says Government cannot plead financial constraints when workers demand improved salaries, only to suddenly find resources for a separation scheme benefiting a relatively small group of employees.
“If Government has resources available for a VSP, then it must also demonstrate why those resources cannot be redirected towards addressing the remuneration and structural challenges affecting the wider Public Service,” the union says.
BOPEU questions the rationale for targeting employees at E2 and above, noting that many in this category are already employed on 36- or 60-month contracts.
“The introduction of a VSP targeted at this category therefore raises legitimate questions about the purpose, cost, beneficiaries and overall public-interest value of such an intervention,” the union said.
“Why should Government prioritise separation packages for employees at E2 and above when thousands of public servants at the lower levels remain trapped in prolonged salary stagnation?” BOPEU asks.
The union warns that the policy could result in substantial public funds being spent on financial packages for a relatively small, non-pensionable category of employees while the broader public service workforce continues to struggle with stagnant pay and declining purchasing power.
BOPEU’s strongest objection is that the proposed VSP appears to have taken precedence over comprehensive remuneration reform.
Government had previously indicated that it intended to introduce a Fan-Shaped Salary Structure designed, among other things, to address remuneration disparities across the Public Service.
But BOPEU says workers were instead left carrying the burden of Botswana’s economic difficulties.
During the 2025/26 financial year, public servants were informed that salary adjustments could not be accommodated because of the country’s economic circumstances.
The union now wants Government to explain why the same financial environment cannot accommodate meaningful improvements for the wider workforce, yet can support a costly separation arrangement.
“Why should Government prioritise separation packages for employees at E2 and above when thousands of public servants at the lower levels remain trapped in prolonged salary stagnation?” BOPEU asks.
According to the union, some employees at D1 and below have remained on the same salary notches for more than a decade despite continuing to provide essential services and facing rising living costs.
BOPEU says Government’s priority should instead be a fundamental overhaul of the Public Service, including addressing prolonged salary stagnation, career progression, remuneration disparities, inadequate advancement opportunities, staffing pressures, workloads and deteriorating conditions of service.
BOPEU says recognised trade unions cannot be reduced to spectators who are informed of decisions after they have effectively been made.
“Collective bargaining and social dialogue are not optional conveniences,” the union says insisting that consultation must be meaningful and negotiations genuine.
The union is demanding full disclosure of the VSP’s financial and policy implications, including its projected cost, anticipated savings, eligibility criteria, implementation framework and wider impact.
“The transformation of the Public Service must not be about creating benefits for a few,” BOPEU said. “It must be about building a Public Service that is fair, efficient, motivated, productive and capable of delivering quality services to the people of Botswana.”
It says workers and their representatives have a right to know precisely why the scheme is being introduced, how much it will cost taxpayers and what Government expects to achieve.
BOPEU also accuses the government of failing to live up to its own stated commitment to democracy, human rights, good governance and the rule of law if workers’ representatives are excluded from meaningful decision-making.
“The right of workers to organise, bargain collectively and engage their employer through recognised structures must be respected,” the union said.
BOPEU is now calling for the immediate implementation of the VSP for E2 and above to be reconsidered pending meaningful engagement with recognised public service unions.
It wants government to disclose the full cost of the programme and redirect attention towards structural remuneration inequalities affecting the wider Public Service.
The union has also calls for D1 and below employees suffering prolonged salary and notch stagnation to be prioritised.
The union insists that transformation cannot become a mechanism for concentrating benefits among a small section of employees while the majority remain trapped in stagnation.
“The transformation of the Public Service must not be about creating benefits for a few,” BOPEU said. “It must be about building a Public Service that is fair, efficient, motivated, productive and capable of delivering quality services to the people of Botswana.”
BOPEU demands that Government return to the negotiating table and engage recognised trade unions in good faith.
