UB professor cautions members against selfish union leaders

Speaking during the Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU) Central Executive Committee meeting recently, Jotia said this is necessary to ensure that leaders are not there for selfish interests at the expense of workers who are entrenched in poverty. He also said trade unions must be rigorously involved in the democratic process so that they could help the state reshape its policies such that they do not disadvantage the working class.

He said this could only be possible if the character of union leaders is re-examined. Jotia expressed concern that the privatisation and capitalisation of trade unions is a worrisome trend, as it appears that the focus is now on amassing wealth rather than channeling energies towards challenging the arsenals of economic justice. He added that nations do not lack people in leadership positions but lack genuine leadership in their leaders.