Coalition of public Employees (COLEPE) has threatened to declare a dispute if by January 15, Wednesday this week, the government of Lesotho has still not made room for negotiations between the two parties.

COLEPE, an alliance of Lesotho Police Staff Association (LEPOSA), Lesotho Public Service Staff Association (LEPSSA), Lesotho Association of Teachers (LAT), Lesotho Teachers Trade Union (LTTU), Lesotho Schools Principal Association (LESPA), Qiloane Nursing Assistants Association (QINUASA) and the Lesotho Nurses Association (LNA).

In their recent letter to the Minister of Public Service, COLEPE has requested him to arrange for negotiations no later than January 15, 2025 saying after which negotiations shall have been deemed to have failed and that would call for declaration of dispute.

They said it remains their fervent hope that the Minister will prioritize these negotiations in order to safeguard the indelible progress that has been made thus far in terms of collective bargaining training and to avoid any inherent repercussions of dispute declaration.

In a brief interview, COLEPE Representative Mr. Letsatsi Ntsibolane said that by the 15th, there should be clear plans for negotiations saying if by then the government has not said anything they will be forced to take other costs.

"By the said date we expect to have a clear way forward on negotiations and if there is no response from the government, we will take other costs necessary," he said.

However, efforts to speak to the Minister were futile as his telephone was not reachable.

On the other hand, COLEPE indicated that the government appointed an arbitrator following due consultations with COLEPE in an effort to resolve the pending salary negotiations entailed in the government commitment to the same dated February 2023. But stated that the foregoing arbitration process did not see the light of the day despite efforts from COLEPE and the Ministry of Public Service.

They added that this is the precarious stage at which the budget cycle is for fruitful negotiations and settlement, therefore.

Meanwhile COLEPE has been pushing for a salary hike since 2022. They even penned a letter to the then Prime Minister Dr. Moeketsi Majoro requesting him to ensure that the 2022/2023 financial estimates guarantee an increase in their salaries and by not less than 25 percent. It escalated the matter to the current Prime Minister and his government but with no tangible results to date.