A group led by Tallman Modimane says they are not happy with the way the national executive controlled by Jack Tlhagale and C. Chimbidzani has been conducting the union business.
As such they have set in motion a process aimed at registering the new union with the Registrar of Societies.
Modimane told The Sunday Standard that a large section of the BMWU members are disillusioned with Tlhagale.
His group promises to take a lot of members from the existing BMWU, he said.
Tlhagale is the Secretary General of BMWU.
Without elaborating Modimane alleged violation of the constitution by the Tlhagale led BMWU executive.
“They have been removing all people who opposed the way they are running the union business,” said Modimane.
He said already Tlhagale and Chimbidzani have started a process aimed at turning themselves into fulltime union employees.
But Tlhagale responded that he is not worried about the new union as the people behind it do not have enough staying power to be able to resolve the intractable industrial relations problems facing the mining workers.
“I do not have all the details. But from the names of the people behind this new union I am not worried. I do not see it going far,” said Tlhagale.
Tlhagale said BMWU has come a long way to simply die because there are a few disgruntled members.
He went further to charge that the new union is part of the long running ploy by management of Debswana and BCL to support dissidents within BMWU.
“This is just one of the cases of disgruntled workers colluding with management. It is a pity that Debswana and BCL are using the same old tactic to sponsor dissidents,” said Tlhagale.
In another matter he accused management from the two companies of withholding union monthly subscriptions, and refusing to recognize lawfully elected committees.
An urgent court application was being lodged over the issue, he said.
