Government should be in the forefront of promoting labour relations
Correspondent | Thursday February 11, 2016 15:26
The proposed bill by the Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration to increase Ministers and Assistance Ministers as well as Special Elected MPs is an insult to the work force. The proposals are just meant to enrich the few Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) activists and starve thousands of the working class who are creators of national wealth. The most urgent issue that the government should be focusing on is resolving public service salaries which have stalled for months now. It is an undisputed fact that the government should be responsible for the promotion of good labour relations in the country through the formulation of laws and policies. The government should therefore be at the forefront fighting and striving to see smooth industrial relations at the workplace.
When the government ratified International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions and ultimately domesticated them, she was communicating to the country and the international community that she is committed in promoting good labour relations. Convention 98, on the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining should be respected by the government. It has been domesticated as it is provided for in the Constitution of Botswana; Trade Disputes Act; Public Service Act, Employment Act; Trade Union and Employers Organisations Act, etc. This is meant to promote good labour relations through collective bargaining. Despite presence of such legal provisions, the government conduct is completely anti labour and is provoking labour unrest in the country. The hide and seek games played by the Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) at the council are only frustrating the workers. These frustrations of workers by the government are enough to unleash mass rolling action by both public and private sector employees. Peaceful demonstrations are long overdue and it is time workers took to the streets. It is disappointing to note that the government party is in ‘sick’ comfort and even celebrating and ululating that public sector unions have failed to meet the set deadline on the submission of the 2016/17 salary proposals. As a party to the bargaining council, the government has a duty to make timely proposals and have unions negotiate on their proposal. A government that is serious with good labour relations and has the nation’s interests at heart should always act proactively and not gleefully ambush the workers. Or worse, get excited that the workers have failed to submit on time. It is a very irresponsible government that would rejoice at the suffering of its people. The conduct of the government will definitely continue to demoralise public sector workers and this will lead to low productivity, hence slowing down economic growth. This conduct proves that the current government is tired and is failing to motivate the workers and stimulate the economy. It is a clear indication and proof that the BDP led government does not care about the working and living conditions of the public sector employees and economic growth and prosperity of this country. An increase in public sector salaries has a direct effect on the salaries of the private and other sectors as they usually respond by increasing their salaries too. As the government gleefully punishes the public sector by unnecessarily dragging the public sector salary negotiations through technicalities, she is also directly hitting on the private sector workers. This is why the workers continue to lose confidence in the current government.
Over time, the BDP led government has shown lack of interest on workers’ working and living conditions. This should not surprise the workers but strengthen their resolve to remove the BDP government from power by 2019. The BDP led government has called public sector employees names before and this belittling of workers is continuing in different forms. State President, His Excellency Dr Ian Seretse Khama described public sector employees as unpatriotic in 2011 when they had engaged in a legal and protected strike. As if this was not enough, attempts were made to deregister Botswana Federation of Public Sector Unions (BOFEPUSU) and workers were saved by the courts of law. The government further attempted to withdraw unions’ deduction code, and by a whisker, the courts again saved the unions. Secretary Generals of BOFEPUSU affiliates were withdrawn from secondment and it was the courts that saved them. The government went on and pursued some trade unionists deemed as militant and ensured that they are fired and Ketlhalefile Motshegwa of BLLAWHU was dismissed. Allegations of government fuelling divisions between BOFEPUSU and its affiliates like Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU) are not surprising as it fits the current conduct of the government. Voting BDP out and ushering in UDC is the only solution to solve workers poor working and living conditions.
Thank you Justin Hunyepa
UDC Labour Secretary