Mabeo urges bargaining council members to be patient
Onalenna Kelebeile | Wednesday May 10, 2017 15:05
Speaking during his ministry’s Pitso held in Selebi-Phikwe recently Mabeo said both parties cannot afford to have a stalemate because progress is needed, otherwise workers are denied their rights.
He added that the bargaining council was established by law, therefore all stakeholders must do what it expects them to do. “Have patience in your negotiations. Mistrust on each other won’t take us anywhere. Dialogue does not necessarily mean that parties will agree on everything, but they should not relent on issues they have failed to agree on,” he said.
Meanwhile, some participants felt that job opportunities are many, but Government fails to empower Batswana and said issues of unemployment and job creation dates way back that Government could have done something by now. An official of BOPEU expressed worry over automation where the use of machinery replaces human labour. “As much as we want to downsize the public service, and encourage technology use let’s make sure that it does not defeat job creation efforts,” she said.
She also noted that as BOPEU they advocate that the national budget must quantify job creation and said that would show that the employer can commit. She also said that Unions must advocate for an employee benefit fund to cushion them from harsh economic conditions.
Other workers’ representatives felt that the country’s economy has not diversified much and that opportunities still exist in agriculture and manufacturing sector. They decried abuse of liquidation powers where by any company can resort to liquidation to elude paying employees their entitlements.
“We cannot fight unemployment and poverty under such conditions. The issue of casual labour is also meant to exploit workers,” said a Botswana Land Board & Local Authorities & Health Workers Union representative.
Johnson Motswarakgole of BOFEPUSU called for a council to be set up for proper coordination of all parastatals. He said the council would be able to deal with all labour laws that are of concern and control all issues regarding labour. He said having institutions working individually is worrisome and added that corruption in the country is the source of all problems.
Gazhani Mhotshwa from Botswana Federation of Trade Unions expressed concern that bargaining powers seem to be unequal between parties and said labour laws in the country protect the employer instead of the employees. He also said there has been a trend whereby Government implements laws that are not wanted by both the employer and the employees. “We need consultation. Government cannot be the one determining the national cake alone. Social dialogue matters a lot if we want economic growth just like collective bargaining,” he said.
He added that collective bargaining principle is that nobody is forced to undertake it and that it is free and voluntary but expressed concern that the legislature has forfeited workers’ rights to strike by declaring all of them essential service. “Parties in the bargaining council must be equal and have a desire to have an outcome,” he said.
For his part on the role of tripartite structures in promoting decent work, Ketlhalefile Motshegwa said there must be strong and independent workers’ organisations that must operate without any interference.
He said there must also be a political will to engage in social dialogue from both sides, particularly Government.
“There must be respect for fundamental rights, tripartitism and freedom of association as well as enabling legal and institutional structures and laws of the country must enable this,” he added.
He expressed concern that given the resources and flourishing economy, the country can only produce Ipelegeng, green scorpions and Tirelo Sechaba jobs.