BFTU Delegation Prepares For The 2017 ILO Conference
Correspondent | Monday March 6, 2017 16:12
The forum will among other things afford BFTU an opportunity to lobby for support from its African counterparts to get the case against the Botswana Government shortlisted for discussion by the Committee on Application of Standards (CAS) of the ILC in June this year.
The case follows a report submitted to ILO’s Committee of Experts on Application of Conventions and Recommendations (CEACR) by BFTU in September 2016.
This report was on Botswana’s violation of Conventions 87 and 98 of the ILO (which Botswana has ratified). Parliament enacted the new Trade Dispute Act (TDA) in July 2016 which in essence, through sections 46, 47 and 48 of the Act banned strike action in Botswana.
The BFTU’s objective is to get Botswana shortlisted in the final 25 countries for discussion by the CAS. The end result is to draw international attention to the violations of trade union and workers’ rights by the Government of Botswana and therefore put pressure on it to repeal the offending provisions of the TDA.
BFTU will also have the opportunity to highlight the narrowing of democratic space for the labour movement in Botswana when the other items on the agenda like the discussion on Human and trade union rights violations and strategies are held.
Recent utterances by some political leaders in Botswana as well as a general lack of respect for unions in certain sectors of the economy point to a disturbing development about labour relations in Botswana.
It will be particularly important to learn strategies to combat violations in Botswana from other labour centres on the African continent.
The meeting will also discuss the 2017 ILC Agenda Items. The 2017 ILC agenda include Committee discussions on Information and reports on the application of Conventions and Recommendations, Labour migration (general discussion) and A Recurrent discussion on the strategic objective of fundamental principles and rights at work, under the follow-up to the ILO Declaration on Social Justice for a Fair Globalisation, 2008 among others.
The BFTU delegation comprises the Secretary General, Gadzani Mhotsha, the president of Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU), Masego Mogwera and the Personal Assistant to the General Secretary of BOPEU, Shatho Nlegwa. They left on Sunday and are expected back in Botswana on Friday March 10, 2017.