BOFEPUSU prepared to fight
Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Friday April 7, 2017 17:36
In 2011, BOFEPUSU led a mass industrial strike, the biggest of its kind in the country, which lasted for more than three months. The workers downed tools demanding a 16% pay rise and a protection of their labour rights.
Many lost their jobs in the process while others went for months without pay.
The strike also led to a drafting of new labour laws, which the unions said were meant to take away the striking right of the workers.
Now, Botswana Teachers Union (BTU) says that ever since 2011, government has become desirers to destroy all trade unions affiliated to BOFEPUSU terming them its enemies.
“We have observed that post 2011 public sector strike; the government has been hostile and vindictive to BOFEPUSU affiliated trade unions with a lot of bad faith.
Labour irregularities have become highly pronounced and are precipitated by a desire to correct being overpowered by the desire to destroy, and in the same spirit contravening all established acts and procedures distinct within the Bargaining Council sphere,” BTU secretary general Agang Gabana said.
Gabana stated that it is significantly clear that government suffered an ego humiliation during the 2011 public service strike. He said government has forged an anti-union and union bashing strategy to reduce unions to nonentity in industrial relations.
Gabana indicated that ever since the 2011 strike, government does not want to share a table with BOFEPUSU to negotiate conditions of service of workers hence sidestepping the Public Service Bargaining Council (PSBC) to solely increase salaries and alter conditions of service of workers.
He called this a contravention of labour laws and the country’s constitution.
“The trajectory of the PSBC under the current political episode is a paradigm lost.
The continuous undermining of the Council by government on public service salary adjustment and or increase borders along deliberate contravention of Botswana Labour laws and indeed the Constitution of Botswana.”
Furthermore, Gabana said that government has started a war against BOEFPUSU, which the federation is prepared to fight.
He said that the numerous litigations between the two parties, which have been ruled in favour of BOFEPUSU, have worsened the relations.
However, Gabana said that the BTU and other unions affiliated to BOFEPUSU would ensure that government plays by the rules.