Report slams partisan trade unionism
Oarabile Mosikare | Thursday October 9, 2014 15:19
This has been revealed in a report by the Southern Africa Trade Union Coordination Council (SATUCC) in cooperation with the Friedrich-Ebert Stiftung. The study is titled ‘Study on Trade Union Internal Self-Reform Process in Botswana’. The main objective of this study was to support internal self-reform process of the trade unions in Botswana. Dr Trywell Kalusopa and Dr Kaelo Molefhe prepared the study in March this year.
“Trade union-political party relationship in Botswana is weak. For much of its post-independence existence, trade unions in the country remained largely ‘passive’ in terms of active engagement in the political process. This is ironic because the pre-independence period was principally characterised by strong trade union-political relations,” reads the report.
The report says as a result of poor economic conditions attributed to the policies of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), some trade unions have taken unprecedented stand to engage in active party politics.
“This was evident in the 2009 general elections when Botswana Federation of Public Sector Unions (BOFEPUSU) produced a hit list of some senior BDP Cabinet members who they claimed were ‘enemies of democracy’.
“Again, during and after the 2011 public sector strike, trade union leaders from BOFEPUSU rallied around the issue of ‘regime change’ and pledged support for a united opposition by elections and, importantly, the 2014 general elections. However, this position created conflict within BOFEPUSU in that most of its members were of the view that the decision was not only confined within BOFEPUSU in that most of its members were of the view that the decision was not a collective one,” reads the report.
Effectively, their argument was that such a pronouncement had not been deliberated and endorsed by membership through the relevant union structures such as delegates’ congress. This conflict was not only confined within BOFEPUSU, but also pitted them against Botswana Federation of Trade Unions (BFTU), who were against ‘regime change’ calls. “The implications of these union responses have unfortunately manifested in strong anti-union sentiments in national political culture.”
The authors also attribute the weak trade union-political party relationship to the uncoordinated strategy of how unions have responded in dealing with political parties in the context of their definition of engagement in politics. They say some unions such as those in BOFEPUSU are of the view that they should support political parties with a workers agenda.
“Nonetheless, even this position remains contentious with some claiming that it is leadership driven. Further, even the leadership is divided over which political parties to support in the upcoming 2014 general elections.
“It is clear that trade union-political party relationship in Botswana is not membership driven, not well thought out, ad hoc and in an unstable state.”