Boko urges workers to unite
Onalenna Kelebeile | Wednesday May 3, 2017 16:34
Addressing members of Botswana Public Employees Union (BOPEU) on May Day commemorations in here, Boko urged labour movements to identify the core challenges, hostilities among themselves and holistically address them. “Remember to mediate your differences with humility. You need solidarity to assert your rights and when operating as a collective, Government will pay attention to you,” he said.
Boko said there is no way Government can negotiate in good faith if it disregards the labour movement as the other party. He stressed that Government must respect workers if it needs to be respected. “Workers are reasonable and very understanding if you disclose accurate information to them. Negotiate with them in good faith and give them respect,” he said.
He added that if workers are accorded those, they may agree to no increment, or just accept what is on offer. He stressed that the assumption by Government that workers will demand salary increases each year they sit for negotiations is just unfounded.
“Failure and reluctance by Government to disclose the financial records to the workers is disrespectful to their fundamental rights. If Government says there is no money, then nobody should be seen spending any money extravagantly because it would amount to disrespect,” he added.
He further said that if workers are told that there is no money, then there should be none for anybody including the state President himself. He said in fact the President is the one who should make sacrifices and if workers are always expected to sacrifice, then there is a serious problem.
“Disclose all the financials to workers and take workers into your confidence. They will accept anything if you have a compelling case and do not floss around after they accept any offer,” he said.
He said that Government is not a big brother at the negotiating table, but all parties are equal.
The opposition leader further said that there could never be harmony if the principles of respect, good faith and disclosure of information are not respected by Government. He urged workers to use this year’s Workers’ Day commemorations to reclaim their space for social dialogue and added that must be respected by Government as they are established under the law.
“They are not being political if they demand information from Government. In fact, workers are free to associate with any political party as individuals and as Unions, they are free to shop around and look at collective interest and settle for better deals,” he said.
He said any law passed must respect workers’ fundamental rights and any Government that fails to do needs to be “overthrown”. He added that if the laws are unjust, then Government loses logic of regulating its people. “Any law that fails to respect people’s rights invite civil disobedience,” he said.
Boko finally called for solidarity and encouraged BOPEU to engage with their enemies and establish how bonds of solidarity could be established. For his part Selebi-Phikwe West MP Dithapelo Keorapetse expressed a concern over trade Union wars that end up at the courts of law. He said such state of affairs negates unity and solidarity.
“When we were faced with serious differences as the opposition the labour movements led the call for us to unite in respect of solidarity. So live by example and stop your infightings,” he said.
He further expressed concern over proliferation of trade Unions in the country and encouraged those considering setting up to join already existing unions so that they can speak with one voice.
He said Botswana Congress Party (BCP) is concerned with the diminishing inter-federation democracy and said decisions of whether to affiliate to a federation or not should be members’ and not top leadership alone.
He called for the establishment of an independent structure that deals with trade disputes because the department of labour seems to have failed. He also said the BCP is of the view that Government must facilitate the employment of acting Judges to deal with a backlog of cases at the courts of law.