Poor Attendance At BOFEPUSU Commemoration

Chakalisa Dube | Monday May 4, 2015 14:16

Even the federation’s Francistown branch leader Thatayamodimo Xabue seemed not content with the numbers of those who have attended when giving opening remarks at the celebrations.

It was the first time BOFEPUSU celebrated the National Workers Day , the May Day in Francistown since the formation of the Federation five years ago. The day was themed ‘Striving for dignity & worth of the working class in Botswana.’

Kabue made a passionate plea to the workers to introspect and attend the day in numbers. He said that the day is vital because it allows workers to suggest ways on how their welfare can be improved.

If they shun the day he decried they will be unable to contribute meaningful ly to the improvement of workers’ conditions.

Workers who some of them were said to be from neighboring villages could only manage to fill the tiny civic centre hall.Even the guest speaker at the event Johannes Tshukudu, the e BOFEPUSU president was not happy with the low turn out.

Last year only a few workers turned up for the May Day celebrations in the city, which also prompted concern from the union leaders in Francistown. Addressing the workers Tshukudu said that the current government no longer consider civil servants as national builders. He said that workers are now considered as unpatriotic and self-centered because they want improved working conditions.

“Public servants are the same planners and drivers who have made the current   Botswana what it is’’ a very serious mistake,” he said.

He added that apart from loss of dignity and worth there is no job security in the public service because the current government can hire and fire as it please.  “This is because public institutions like Commis

Government employees who show zeal to fight for improvement of their working conditions also work under a cloud of intimidation and threats of being retrenched.

The union leader also noted that workers should not expect instant victory in the fight for their rights to be respected, since they have locked horns with an equally prepared political government, whose intention and purpose is to silence the trade unions by all means possible.

A worried Tshukudu also said that government is also closing doors of media houses that cover labour stories informing the public of injustices of the current government towards its workers.

According to him government has of late been promoting divisions among trade unions and trade unions leadership, supporting one federation to weaken the other for political survival and sponsoring some short sighted trade unions leaders to spy on the activities of their fellow comrades for personal gains against the masses.